Guardian of the Dead
by Vertius
Summary: When Ichigo starts having strange dreams after the Winter War, he visits Urahara in hope of getting some insight into these strange nightly visions. Instead, he is told that everything he once believed to be a myth is actually real and this world is much bigger than he originally imagined.
1. Chapter 1

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 1 -

It had been six months since the end of the Winter War, and things had not gone as he'd hoped.

When he gave everything to defeat Aizen, the megalomaniac with dreams of godhood, he really didn't care what happened to himself afterwards as long as he'd won. As he looked back on it now, he realized what an irresponsible way of thinking it was when it came to such an important and life-changing decision for himself, especially when it was his soul on the line. But he didn't care back then, and that sentiment still hadn't changed now.

The way he saw it, there were only ever two options. The first would be him sacrificing his powers in an attempt for victory and the second would be him keeping his powers and letting Aizen win, the choice was incredibly easy to make back then, and in truth, it should have been for anyone in his position.

Yes, he was losing his powers, his ability to do that which he loved, protect, but he wasn't the only one capable of safeguarding the souls of the dead, there was a whole army of Shinigami dedicated to that very task. And besides, when all was said and done he would still have his friends and family, so what was the problem? Eventually, his powers would return to him, and when that happened, all would return to normal.

Or so he thought.

Sure, for the first couple of weeks after the final battle in which his powers were slowly but surely fading away his friends stayed by his side. They constantly checked in on him, making sure he was truly happy with the outcome of the battle and that there were no complications. But, after that fateful day in which he watched Rukia fade from existence in front of the Kurosaki Clinic, everything changed.

His father tried to maintain some normalcy by keeping up his goofy antics and routinely attacking him, but as time passed his 'training' became less frequent and less intense. Isshin had always been better with the girls; and so despite what either of them wanted, a divide formed and it became quite awkward between the two, neither fully sure how they should act. It was a shame.

His so-called human friends treated him as if he were made of glass, like his supposedly fragile state would shatter at but the slightest whispers of the supernatural. Always hushing up their discussions when he approached, never able to look him in the eye, and on the occasions which they would return from Hollow hunting out of breath with smiles on their faces, it would all disappear when they noticed his gaze upon them.

The Visored, who claimed him to be a part of their family on multiple occasions – something that truly made him happy since he'd never felt like he really belonged anywhere, with any specific group – never once came to visit him, and sadly it was the same with the Shinigami.

At first, he thought they were busy with the aftermath of the war, but as days turned to weeks and weeks to months not once did someone come by to see him in a Gigai. Even on the rare occasion that he went to the Urahara Shop, no messages ever awaited him.

Kisuke and Yoruichi still treated him normally – something he appreciated more than they would ever know – and although he considered them both to be good friends, without his powers, there was just never a need to go over there. Urahara was always busy with his research and experiments, and Yoruichi frequently bounced between the world of the living and the Soul Society doing whatever it was the free-spirited cat liked to do.

So really, the only sense of normalcy he got on a daily basis was thanks to the two little angels he called sisters. He was so proud of them; they were already growing up to be incredible woman, and he tried his best to not show them his increasing sadness, but sometimes it just slipped out when he thought no one was looking. Instead of trying to make him talk during one of the moments, however, they would just do whatever they could to get his mind off of it, be it Karin asking him to help her practice with soccer or Yuzu asking him to help with the grocery shopping.

He was so grateful to them, and he tried to show it as much as possible, but they were growing older, and he didn't want to be that over-protective big brother so much. Instead, he wanted them to go out and forge their own paths leaving him to watch from afar and give advice only when needed. Unfortunately, because of this, he was left with much more free time on his hands, time in which his mind could wander and think of all the negative things that weighed him down.

A tinge of sadness would always enter his heart at those moments, though it would quickly pass and be replaced by frustration; frustration at his situation and at everyone around him.

They were fools, all of them.

This continued endlessly for weeks, and after a while of being pushed away, he could safely say he had fallen into a pretty bad case of depression. He began to second guess himself, constantly wondering if all of his supposed friends ever even liked him in the first place. Maybe that was why they had all abandoned him now, maybe it was all an elaborate ruse they created to use him and his vast power.

It certainly made sense, why else would they all disappear from his life now that he no longer had any of that vast power? Perhaps he had never been more than a weapon to them in the first place, someone who would clean up all of their messes for them under the guise of friendship, meanwhile they were all laughing at his naivete behind his back.

Honestly? He was just being really pathetic. It was one of the many long nights during those months of powerlessness that he realized this, then everything changed.

He'd been thinking about his time as a Shinigami, and more importantly his time with Zangetsu and even his Hollow, the lessons he'd been taught by them. The former Shinigami had never really noticed it before but most of the things he had learned, had been learned from his Hollow and not old man Zangetsu. This confused him because for all the times his Hollow had gone on about how he wanted to consume Ichigo's soul and take the crown for himself, his attempts made at it were always quite lazy.

If he looked back on everything now, he could easily recall a couple of times where if his Hollow really wanted then crown than he could've taken it, and there would have been nothing Ichigo could do to stop it. And yet he never did. He always gave Ichigo another chance, always said the right thing to push him in the right direction, always taught him how to win. It didn't make sense.

It was during one of those moments of reminiscence that the realization him like a slap to the face. He had been acting so weak and out of character, the old man would be so disappointed in him right now. It was he who had always told Ichigo to abandon his fear, to look forward, move forward and never stop, that he would age if he pulled back, if he hesitated he would die, yet that's what he'd been doing this whole time.

Ever since that day Rukia left he had fallen into a state of stagnation and let despair take hold. Well no more. It was about time he put everything behind him and started walking forwards again.

It was that moment that everything changed for him. He threw himself into a heavy training regime because even without his powers he wanted to stay in shape. He loved getting his adrenaline going, pushing himself to his limits and then smashing through them like he always had.

When he wasn't training, he was studying. He'd always been smart, however, with his Shinigami duties taking up a lot of his time his grades eventually fell no matter how hard he tried to balance the two of them. With some effort he managed to get himself up into the top five of the school right behind Inoue and Ishida at third which to him was perfect, he was close to starting his final year of high school and would need good grades if he wished to get into a good college.

On the subject of his friend's, things were still awkward. They still tiptoed around the supernatural subjects when he was near which annoyed him to no end, but some form of normalcy had ensued during school hours, and that was good enough for him.

He had more than enough to do anyways between studying, training, and saving up money from his part-time job. He would keep moving forward, keep improving, and when the day eventually came that his powers returned to him, he would be smarter, faster, stronger, and just more prepared overall to do that which he was meant to. Protect.

It was also when he made that self-discovery that something else changed within him, something he had yet to tell anyone else about. Ever since the end of the war, his sleep had been plagued by a strange dream. As time moved on it would appear more and more frequently, and more details would be revealed to him with each passing night.

It was odd, continually seeing this fantasy-like world filled with Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils, massive Dragons which soared high in the air, their dominant roars reverberating throughout the sky. There were even some smaller creatures which after some research he learned to be Nekomata and Kitsune and so much more.

He didn't know why his mind was constantly showing him these scenes, but he was more than happy just letting it pass without telling anyone, well that was until he started hearing a voice. It was after his personal self-discovery that he originally began hearing it, just soft whispers in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite understand. As with the scenery and creatures that became less clouded as time passed, so too did the voice become louder until the message was clearly being received.

" _Wake up. When will you wake up, Ichigo Kurosaki..._ "

" _This world needs a_ _s_ _aviour, there are still so many counting on you..._ "

He was going to brush it off at first, after all, it was probably just his minds way of telling him that he missed his powers, which he did. But then he reconsidered. He'd already experienced far too much in the supernatural, learned too much about the human soul and its capabilities to just brush it off. So, with a feeling of dread bubbling in his stomach he asked himself the one question which kept coming to his mind, ' _Aizen is gone. Defeated and locked away. So who does the world need saving from..?_ '

To answer this question, he went to the one man who seemed to know everything. Kisuke Urahara.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop

"And you've been having this dream since the end of the war..?" The shopkeeper reaffirmed; an odd look on his face after hearing out the teens problems.

These two people had an uncanny ability to piss him off. The way his two mentors were looking at him made him really think he was losing it. "Yeah," he affirmed with a nod, "they started after my powers fully vanished."

Urahara hummed briefly in thought, his eyes never once leaving those of the young man before him. "And what have these dreams consisted of?"

Ichigo's heart thumped heavily in his chest as he caught that brief flash of intensity in the shopkeeper's eyes, the same one which always appeared when something big was going on. 'But what could be so big about these dreams...'

"It has always been the same, only more has become clearer to me as time has passed. I see Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, Dragons of all sizes, those half-human half-animal beings called Kitsune and Nekomata, and it's always really sunny and warm..." he finished, trailing off slowly. The hair on the back of his neck stood as his two mentors gazed through him, small lines of concern forming at the edges of their eyes.

"Is there anymore Ichigo? Maybe voices or..?" Yoruichi questioned eagerly, maybe too eagerly she realized as Ichigo's eyes briefly narrowed in her direction.

"Yes actually, though that only started recently after a sort of... self-discovery I guess you could call it. It's always a female voice, and her message never changes." Okay now he was getting a little self-conscious, where were their usual teasing remarks? Instead, both of them looked on more seriously than before.

After a couple more seconds of the awkward staring contest, he released a sigh and told them, though not without a flush of embarrassment rushing to his cheeks first. "Wake up. When will you wake up, Ichigo Kurosaki... This world needs a saviour, there are still so many counting on you..."

Silence.

That was the only response he got, they were probably going to start laughing at him any time now. ' _Oh my Kurosaki-san your hero complex is as large as ever I see,_ ' is what the shady bastard will probably say as he waves that stupid fan in front of his face. Surprisingly however that wasn't what happened. Instead, the shopkeeper rose silently mumbling an ' _I see,_ ' and ' _I'll be right back,_ ' before leaving the room.

The man didn't come back for a good ten minutes leaving Ichigo and Yoruichi in an awkward silence that just didn't feel right. He couldn't read the look she had on her face – though when could he really? – but the woman seemed content to just sit there staring at him the whole time bringing a light flush to his cheeks, a fact she didn't miss if the cat-like smirk gracing her lips was anything to go by.

When Urahara did finally return, Ichigo was surprised to see his father trailing a couple feet behind him.

"Oyaji? What are you doing here?" The man in question did briefly meet gazes with his son and nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement, but he didn't reply. Instead, he chose to sit and take a moment to collect his thoughts only stopping to thank Tessai who brought him a cup of tea.

A couple more tense moments passed in silence, each person just nursing their warm drinks and mulling over the situation. Setting his cup down with a little more force than he probably meant Isshin's eyes went straight back to those of his son. In his gaze was a myriad of emotions, fear, sadness, apprehension, all of them conveyed strongly to the former Shinigami. It was obvious that whatever Isshin was about to say had been weighing heavily on him and had been for a long time.

"Ichigo, do you remember during the battle for fake Karakura, when you told me that you would wait for me, that I could tell you everything when I was ready? He asked, getting a hesitant nod from his son. With a nod of his own, Isshin let out a deep sigh and continued, "well, due to recent developments now is that time."

Ichigo's heart rate picked up at the words, "recent developments? You mean the dreams? But what do they have-" the words died in his throat when Urahara stuck his hand up and gave him a look that conveyed a simple message. ' _Listen first, ask questions after._ '

Isshin sighed again and scratched at the stubble under his chin before leaning back into a more relaxed posture, his eyes becoming cloudy as he reminisced. "You should know that you were never really a true Shinigami, nor have you ever been just a human either.

Ichigo, your mother... your mother was a Quincy."

' _What?!_ ' He screamed internally, outwardly his eyes had bulged. "A Quincy?!"

Now his father slumped forwards, eyes falling to the cup of tea in his hands. "As you already know, I'm a Shinigami, and I used to be Captain of the tenth to boot. Well back then we kept receiving reports of a mysterious but very powerful Hollow that had been stalking the nearby Naruki City and killing all the low-levelled Shinigami stationed there. The problem was that the bastard would seemingly appear out of thin air and then disappear just as quick without a trace, as such we could never get a proper reading on the thing or dispatch a Captain to go kill it.

I knew something had been odd about the whole situation even if no one else wanted to admit it, so I took a little trip down there myself to check things out. It didn't take long for the Hollow to make an appearance and it was... surprising, to say the least. It was fairly human in shape much like a Vasto Lorde would've been and damn did it have the power to match. It was all black, and its Hollow hole had been filled with some unknown substance which was most curious of all.

Anyways, I engaged it and was forced to release my Shikai pretty early on but even still I was struggling. It could fire frightening cero's from the horns on its head, and it had two blades for arms which it cloaked in its black and red reiatsu to further strengthen its blows. It felt like the longer this battle went on, the stronger the damn thing would get, I was fully prepared to use my Bankai if things dragged on much further."

There was a slight pause in Isshin's story as he noticed his son tense. He, as well as Kisuke and Yoruichi, knew what had struck the teen so harshly and it was by no mistake that Isshin gave such a blunt bit of foreshadowing. The ability to coat one's blade in their black and red reiatsu to strengthen the blows, the ability to fire a Cero from the twin horns sat atop its head, both abilities would sound shockingly familiar to the boy across from them.

With a deep breath his father once more began to speak, "at the time I wasn't aware of who it really was but now I know that it was Aizen who was lurking in the shadows, hiding with one of Kisuke's cloaks so that he could witness his experiment in person. He must've known that I was planning to release my Bankai because the bastard struck me from behind and deeply wounded my back making me unable to gather my reiatsu properly and go all out, not without some major detrimental after effects at least.

I'll admit that things weren't looking good for your old man, however, not all hope was lost, just as the Hollow was readying to finish me off your mother swooped in and saved my life. She ended up tricking the Hollow and finishing it off with a single shot."

Ichigo couldn't help but crack a small, sad smirk at that information. It was shocking to hear that Aizen's machinations extended so far back as to even affect his father, but he guessed he really shouldn't have been surprised. But, to hear that it was his mother who saved him all those years ago was something he could easily picture.

"Sadly, that isn't the end of our story as your mother was quite the reckless one. When I said that she tricked the Hollow, she did so by letting it bite her so that she could get one clean, point blank shot at its head which would put it down for good. It worked, thankfully, but there were some negative side effects. A few days after the incident she collapsed and began to undergo Hollowfication.

Unfortunately for Quincy, a Hollow is like a deadly poison to them. So, unlike the Visored who has a chance at subduing and gaining control of their inner Hollow, a Quincy will only die if infected. Or so we thought. It turns out Kisuke through his research had developed a method to stop this from happening which was what brought about our initial meeting.

In short, I would enter a special Gigai that would tie my soul to hers and with my Shinigami powers, I would be able to suppress the Hollow inside thus sparing her life. Only upon her mortal death would the link break allowing me to exit the Gigai and regain my powers. At least that's how it was supposed to have worked. When she passed away on July seventeenth my powers did start returning to me, however, there was something blocking them from coming back completely."

"Me," Ichigo replied simply, finishing his father train of thought. "I am partly Shinigami and Human from you, and Quincy from mom, and when I was born the Hollow that your reiatsu was suppressing fled to my soul in hopes of escaping."

The three adults nodded their heads approvingly at his deduction. "You guessed it, though unluckily for the Hollow his plan didn't have the desired effect. Yes, he was able to transfer himself to you but the link to my powers came along with it. It was only after your powers started growing at a tremendous rate during your raid on the Soul Society that mine was no longer able to suppress it, and the link shattered allowing your Hollow to fully awaken."

' _No wonder Aizen always treated me like I was some crazy science experiment,_ ' he mused bitterly, then something else clicked in his mind. ' _Wait, if I have been part Hollow since birth then that would mean that he has been here since the beginning as well and not just the shattered shaft like I previously thought._ '

Ichigo frowned further as he continued to think about the psycho he called an inner Hollow. ' _Then again_ _..._ _he did always try and tell me that he too was Zangetsu, I just never wanted to believe it. I always thought he was my enemy, but looking back on it now he was the one who saved my life more than anyone else._ '

Shaking his head lightly he changed the direction of his thoughts, first and foremost he needed to consider the man before him and everything which had just been revealed. ' _Do I wish he would have told me sooner? Damn right. Perhaps if I'd begun training at a younger age things would have turned out differently, maybe all of this could have been avoided..._ ' Shaking his head again he dropped that line of thought, it was already done and dwelling on it further wouldn't accomplish anything.

And besides, he'd just realized something else.

"Y'know, it just hit me," he started, looking towards his father with a grin, "you said you were going to release your Bankai against that Hollow and yet mom came along a defeated it with a single arrow... you must've been a pretty weak Captain huh?" He finished cheekily, grin growing further as he noticed his father's eyebrow start twitching at his comment.

"Why you little..." Isshin began, only to be interrupted by the laughter of his two old friends sat at the table, in response he too couldn't resist letting out the laugh bubbling in his stomach. He was just glad that Ichigo had accepted everything so nicely and it seemed like he wasn't holding anything against him for keeping such large secrets for so long.

Clapping once Urahara drew the attention of the room back to him, "Now then!" He started, a cheery expression on his face as he addressed the youngest of the four, "with all that backstory out of the way we can finally get onto the main order of business."

Ichigo perked up at this, sure he was glad to finally know everything about himself and his family but clearly there was something more to the dreams he'd been having and he was really anxious to find out what.

"I should start by saying that everything you've been seeing in those dreams, as well as so much more, is a hundred percent real, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo sat wide-eyed at the statement, looking towards the shopkeeper as if the man had just sprung a second head.

"Come now, surely you didn't think that the Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy were all that inhabited this vast world of ours?"

The teen looked ready to smack him, "and how the hell would I know otherwise? Those are the only races I've ever seen."

Urahara's eyebrow rose dubiously at the words, almost as if asking ' _are you sure about that?_ ' further annoying the teen. "Well, what about Komamura-taichō or our very own Yoruichi-san? The former is a wolf and the latter a cat, surely you don't think they are just regular Shinigami like the rest of us?"

Ichigo couldn't help but nod in acceptance at the man's words, it had been rather shortsighted of him to not realize that a wolf and a cat aren't exactly normal even in a world of Shinigami and Hollow.

"The fact of the matter is that we Shinigami and Hollow are the minority in this universe of supernatural beings. Furthermore, our role as the keepers of balance is much too important to have jeopardized and thus we are kept separate from the other pantheons of this world."

"Kept separate from everyone else? By who? Does it have anything to do with the woman whose voice I keep hearing?" He wasn't sure how to feel about what he was hearing, the way Urahara had said that made it sound like they were prisoners, forever kept in solitude and unable to interact with the rest of the world as they did their duties.

"Yes, I'd say it has quite a lot to do with the woman who wishes to meet you considering they are on in the same. We cannot go into too much detail Kurosaki-san so just know this, she wants to meet you, and should you agree then all the questions you have will be answered."

Ichigo's eyelids fell slightly, appearing to be in a daze as he watched the leaves in his cup of tea swirl, giving a simple reply of ' _I see._ ' as he mulled over the most recent topic of discussion between the four at the small table. It was obvious that his father and two mentors wanted him to meet this woman, or at the very least trusted her enough to where if Ichigo agreed to meet her they wouldn't be hesitant in sending him to wherever he would have to go.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious. Whoever this woman was, clearly she was powerful and likely of a different race to anything he'd ever seen before. Hell, if Dragons, Angels, Devils and who knows what else exists out there then would it really be so far fetched to think that Gods did as well? And, knowing his luck he wouldn't be all that surprised to find out it was a God of all things that wanted to meet him."

' _It's suspicious though, why would this person want to meet me of all people, especially now that I've lost my powers._ ' It just wasn't adding up to the teen, not to mention... "If this woman is such a big secret then how do you three seem to know her? And why me anyways?"

"Why you? You heard her Ichigo, this world still needs a saviour and who better to save it than you?" Yoruichi finished with a smirk, even if the kid wouldn't admit it he loved to play hero and would gladly do so again if given the chance. She would admit that she'd grown quite fond of him since their first meeting and that selflessness of his was a big part of it. "As for how we know her? Well, I can't speak for Isshin but you know this guy loves digging into things he isn't supposed too," she finished, jabbing her thumb at the man with the striped hat.

The youngest of the four scoffed at that, he wasn't surprised in the slightest to hear that Urahara had once again dug a little too deep and found out something he shouldn't have, his thirst for knowledge was far too great to expect otherwise. Shifting his attention to his father now he could only wonder what he had done to meet this mysterious woman but he wouldn't push it for today, he'd already been told a lot that Isshin probably wasn't fully ready to tell but had to due to the circumstances.

No, anything else his father had yet to tell could wait until the appropriate time, all Ichigo wanted now was to know what his father thought of all this. Sure they had never been the closest through the years and there were a lot of lies told and secrets kept that didn't help the situation, but he loved his father just as much as he loved- still loves his mother and he knows that Isshin loves him just as much as he does Yuzu and Karin. So as valuable as his two mentor's opinions are to him, nothing could beat his own fathers.

It only took a brief second of eye contact for the message to be conveyed from father to son, ' _Do it, you weren't born to waste away in this town studying for exams, your purpose is far greater than that, you are a protector, so go and do your name proud._ '

"Alright, I'll meet this woman, just tell me how."

"I'm glad to hear it, Kurosaki-san!" The shopkeeper replied jovially while rolling up the right sleeve of his kimono confusing Ichigo who without his powers was unable to see the faint golden glow which surrounded the man's arm.

Even though he was unable to see the glow he did feel the familiar tugging sensation he used to get when separating from his human body, though before he could question any of the three on what was happening the back room of the Urahara Shop he was in vanished leaving only the three adults who occupied it with him.

"You know he won't be able to come back for a while Kisuke, what happens when Soul Society notices that he's gone?" The Goddess of Flash pondered, earning a sly look from the man in question.

"Why whatever do you mean my feline friend?" He responded, pulling out his fan a waving it much to enthusiastically in front of his face, "I am but a handsome, humble shopkeeper, surely I cannot be expected to know the whereabouts of our young friend at all times."

Isshin and Yoruichi smirked at the reply, Urahara had already told them that his ties with the Soul Society had long since been severed and that he would always have Ichigo's back, even if it meant going against the very organization which he used to call home.

* * *

~ Takamagahara

Any who were lucky enough to set foot in the high planes of heaven would be stunned by the beauty of the sight before them, it was nothing short of breathtaking. The planes themselves were set onto a large floating island, green grass and rolling hills as far as the eyes could see, rivers of crystal water weaving and cutting through the land. The sounds of birds chirping lightly echoed in the air as various animals of all shapes and sizes scurried and roamed the vast ground without a care in the world.

On the northernmost part of the island, an intricately crafted marble bridge arched out over the abyss below connecting to a golden gate which bridged them to the human world. A large village sat on the opposite side of the bridge which acted as the home to a large part of the Kyuubi population that lived under the Shinto Trinity and more importantly the Goddess of the Sun.

It was always peaceful here, never raining, the skies were always blue with various amounts of clouds rolling overhead. The temperature was almost always perfect in the Heavenly Planes. The motherly Amaterasu who loved all of her children was not immune to moments of frustration and sadness herself thus the temperature would rise and fall varying on her mood at the current time.

Today, however, was different, the temperature was perfect, not to cool and not to warm which meant one thing, the Goddess of the Sun was very happy.

The reason for her heightened joy and slight anticipation lay in the arrival of a very special guest for not only the Shinto Trinity but the faction as a whole. After seventeen years of patiently waiting for the son of Isshin Shiba and heir to the Shiba Clan – not to mention Amaterasu's favourite young hero – Ichigo Kurosaki was coming to the planes to finally meet her and hopefully usher in a new era of peace for the supernatural worlds.

She had first met his father Isshin when she did the one thing she was never supposed to, she left the Heavenly Planes and entered the mortal realm to use her powers for the purpose of cheating death. On that rainy June night eight years ago Ichigo Kurosaki was supposed to die along with his mother, but something called out to the Goddess of the Sun, the mother of the Nihon jin, in the depths of her soul something screamed at her that this young boy with a bright smile and hair like the sun could not die, it was not yet his time.

Isshin was of course eternally grateful to her, he'd lost his wife that night and was seconds away from losing his only son too, he promised her that if there was anything he could do to thank her, he would. She was blunt with him in stating that when Ichigo had aged some she wished to meet him face to face, they would know when the time had come but she made it clear that she would not rush it.

Part of it was simply because she wished to see what kind of man he would become in the future, the boy she had saved, sure she could watch over him from above, and she would, but there was nothing quite like meeting someone face to face and laying everything to bear. That was only half of it, however, the other part of her knew that when the time finally came in which Ichigo would step foot onto the Heavenly Planes she would ask him to carry yet another heavy burden on his already weighted shoulders.

She would ask him to be the Shinto's connection the rest of the supernatural once more, for far too long they had kept to themselves and it was time that changed. Tensions between the factions of this world were growing ever higher, teetering dangerously on the point of breaking out in a war which would shape this universe none for the better.

With the re-emergence of the Infinite Dragon God, it was about time the Shinto stepped back into things and helped in the efforts of bringing peace between the pantheons and forging an alliance that could fend off any threat to the peace currently holding the world, be they Man or God.

And, perhaps it was a bit petty of her but she also wanted to send Ichigo down there to curb the Devils ever-growing arrogance before it could grow any further, though honestly, her patience had already thinned to dangerous levels. She had been gracious in granting the Devils permission to use her land of Japan to set up their little 'territories' as they called it, the only condition being that they had to follow certain guidelines as to ensure her children's safety.

Now, however, those territories had simply become areas where their arrogant and naive children could live and experience a human life all while believing themselves to be the rulers of that land and doing whatever the hell they pleased on it. Well no more.

For hopes of peace the Goddess of the Sun really didn't want to terminate their deal with them and essentially give them the boot but they as well as the Fallen Angels were pushing their luck just a little too far. Their behaviour was unacceptable and she would be lying if she said she didn't wish for Ichigo to verbally or physically if need be put them back in their place.

A devious smile crept onto her face as she thought of all the possibilities the future might hold.

* * *

~ Unknown Location

' _Typical Urahara, never explains what he's doing and just does it,_ ' Ichigo groused as he stood in unending darkness. When the Urahara Shop vanished and he could once more feel solid ground beneath his feet he opened his eyes to see nothing, just an endless void that reminded him way too much of a Garganta for his liking, all that was missing was the blue reishi path beneath his feet and it would be exactly the same.

This, however, was not a Garganta, and there was no reishi path beneath his feet, just a single golden archway that stood proudly in the distance providing the only source of light in this otherwise black world.

That was the goal he'd been trying to reach for the last few minutes or so, just aimlessly walking towards the gate that he assumed – hoped – would take him to where he needed to be, some unknown world with an unknown woman who wished to meet him and could potentially answer all of the questions he had.

What would he want to ask though? He wanted to learn more about everything else that existed, of that he was sure, his curiosity had long since been peaked. Another big question would be why the hell she wanted to meet him of all people, asides from being a freak of nature who was born a mix of Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy, there wasn't really anything too special about him.

But, he supposed such question would be answered when they met, for now, he had some walking to do.

* * *

Upon finally reaching his destination he studied it briefly, sure it didn't seem dangerous at first glance but Urahara was involved in this and that always meant risks. Tentatively he rose his hand and stretched out his index finger lightly touching the flat golden doorway causing a small rippling effect to roll out from the point of contact. He waited for the surface to calm once more before reaching out again, this time becoming more daring and pushing his hand and arm through the golden surface up till his elbow, letting a couple seconds pass once more he retracted his arm and further scrutinized the gate.

' _Well, even if there is a danger on the other side it'll still beat standing around in this creepy place any longer._ ' He mused, giving the black world one final look over. Then with his decision made he sighed and stepped forwards, his body passing through the gate into the unknown.

He quickly became alerted to the fact that the marble bridge he stood on while beautiful in design was floating over nothingness, as too was the immensely large mass of land laid out before him, no matter how much he concentrated he couldn't see how far it stretched in either direction.

Glancing back ahead he could see mountains off in the distance, rolling hills and lush forests that blocked out most of the scenery from his sight. One plus from his scouting so far was a set of houses he'd spotted just peaking through the trees a tad bit northwest from the bridge. Hopefully, someone would be there that could give him a bit of information concerning where he was and more importantly who he was supposed to be meeting.

It took him a little longer than expected to reach his destination although his less than brisk pace could be to blame for that. It was hard to rush through this place where there was so much beauty for him to look at. It was so peaceful here, it reminded him a lot of the Soul Society and the times when Rukia and himself would go out exploring the forests of Rukongai.

The temperature here was perfect, it along with the slight breeze brushing across his skin was comforting and really set his soul at ease. The sounds of birds chirping echoed through the forests and every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of an animal darting by or eyeing him from the shadows, oddly enough they were usually foxes he saw.

Upon finally arriving at the village he noted that it was quite large in size with many people each going about their daily lives, some of them spared him a small glance and others outright stared though he couldn't blame them, his orange hair, white, v-neck shirt and black jeans were a far cry from their Yukata's and more traditional Kimono. One glaring fact that he had noticed about all the people before him, be they man or woman, adult or child, one trait that they all seemed to share with each other were the two fluffy fox ears atop their heads and a tail to match.

' _What the hell_ _..._ '

"Welcome to Takamagahara, Shiba-sama, we have been expecting you." A small voice spoke up from beside him, startling him slightly. The voice came from a relatively short girl with brown hair reaching her shoulder blades, green eyes, and a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. She wore a white Yukata with pink cherry blossoms decorating its right side which was secured at her waist by a red Obi. After studying her for a moment he noticed that she, much like everyone else he'd seen so far, had a pair of ears atop her head and a tail swaying softly behind her.

It was then that he actually realized what the girl had said, "Wait, Takamagahara?" she nodded, "As in the high plains of Heaven and the home of the Shinto Trinity?" Seeing her nod once more he could only look dumbly out over the land as the realization of his current situation hit him, "I thought this was all a myth..." he breathed out a few seconds later, voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded again, "It's understandable for you to think as such however I can assure you they are very real, as are most other things you would likely consider to be myths." After watching him survey the land for a short while longer she spoke up again not having any more time to spare. "I apologize for rushing you Shiba-sama but I was sent here to escort you to your meeting with Amaterasu-sama. And, while you were granted some leeway I don't think we should keep her waiting for too long."

There was a short pause before his composure slipped and his voice rang out, "I'm here to meet the Goddess of the Sun?!" He shouted, rounding on the short girl with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it, Urahara couldn't have given him even a small hint or something? He understood why the man couldn't go around using that name freely but come on, not even a heads up that he was meeting someone really important?

"Oi, and whats with this Shiba-sama nonsense? I'm not a noble so just Ichigo is fine."

"Unacceptable, Shiba-sama. Shiba-sama is the son of Isshin Shiba and the rightful heir to the Shiba Clan which holds an elite spot even among the other five great noble houses of the Soul Society, I must address Shiba-sama with all of the respect that Shiba-sama deserves." She finished turning away from him and facing down one of the paths which led away from the village and deeper into the planes of Takamagahara.

Ichigo's eyebrow was twitching rapidly as his annoyance peaked, only further being stirred by the fact that he was damn sure he'd seen a smirk on the corner of her lips as she turned away, "Tch, whatever," he grunted out with a small pout, "What's your name then?"

"Its Ayame, Shiba-sama," she replied still facing away from him no doubt still hiding her little grin. After briefly listening to him mumble curses to himself she stepped forwards and started down the pathway into the forests knowing that the tall teenager would be following shortly behind her.

Neither spoke as they walked as both were comfortable with the silence around them, he could see her stealing glances at him occasionally but it didn't really bother him. His mind was far too preoccupied with inspecting the lands around them, no matter how much he saw of it he couldn't get over the sheer beauty of this place. Eventually, they did reach something which drew his attention away from the landscape around him, an incredible multi-storied shrine of sharp brown's, vibrant reds and gold which shone as bright as the sun decorating it.

"That is the shrine of the Shinto Trinity Shiba-sama. Amaterasu the Goddess of the Sun, Tsukuyomi the God of the Moon, and Susanoo the God of the Sea and Storms," she informed, noticing the former Shinigami's awe-filled and curious stare.

Ichigo hummed in acknowledgement of her words but kept his gaze on the elegant building, "Is that where we're going then?"

Ayame's hair swayed softly as she shook her head in the negative, "No, we are currently headed towards Lady Amaterasu's manor." In the corner of her eye, she noticed Ichigo's own eyes briefly widen before setting themselves back to normal though that was all the reaction he gave, instead choosing to continue their walk in silence.

It took another twenty or so moments after reaching and passing the shrine for them to reach their final destination, the home of the Goddess of the Sun. The young man assumed that they must've had another more efficient way of travel than walking around everywhere as this was quite the distance to travel, perhaps they had something similar to Shunpo? Or hell, maybe they could just outright teleport themselves, he wouldn't be at all surprised anymore if it was possible now that the existence of Gods had been confirmed.

As for the manor itself? It was as ridiculously big as one would expect from the Goddess of the Sun. He wouldn't tell the man in person but truthfully Byakuya's house wasn't looking so grand anymore.

"This is the home of our Lady, please follow me inside," she piped up beside him before stepping through the gates.

It was a beautiful property, as they walked along the porch he could see neatly trimmed hedges lining each of the pathways which weaved through her vast courtyard and gardens. There were three ponds he could see from his vantage point, the one in the centre of her garden was much larger than the other two, the surface of its water decorated with fallen petals from the cherry blossom tree which stood proudly over it.

When the garden vanished from sight now being hidden by the inner walls of the home he shifted his attention back forwards and paid attention to the rout he was taking through the winding halls of this place. It didn't take long for him to really start appreciating having Ayame as his guide. Without his powers and furthermore his ability to sense reiatsu he would get completely lost in here without her as everything around him looked exactly the same. He was pleased to finally see some variation when they came upon two large sliding doors, one guard perched on each side of the entrance way.

It was odd, during his whole walk through the manor he hadn't seen any other guards stationed like these two, hell not even the entrance to the grounds had any stationed guards. So it was weird that there were some here yet nowhere else, perhaps because the Goddess of the Sun was just on the other side of those two thin doors? Then again, if he had to take a guess at anyone who could protect themselves it would be a God, so perhaps this was just a formality, or maybe there was something deeper to it, a hidden purpose? He couldn't say.

"She is just beyond these doors Ichigo-sama, head in when you are ready."

"ah, thank you Ayame," he nodded giving her a genuine smile at the use of his actual name, sure she kept the honorific but at the very least it was better than Shiba-sama.

With a smile of her own and a slight bow, she turned on her heal and started back down the hallway which they came. Turning back towards the doors he slowly started to slide them open, carefully peaking inside the room with every new inch that was exposed to him, honestly, he was really nervous. The room was fairly large with polished wooden floors, white walls and a small ground level throne which reminded him a lot of Kūkaku sat against the far wall partially hidden by a low wooden table with cushions laid out around it.

The most shocking things about the room, however, was the woman inside of it.

Ichigo had seen beautiful women before, his journey through the supernatural made sure of that. Be it Yoruichi-san, Rangiku-san, Unohana-san or even Rukia and Suì-Fēng from the Shinigami, to Nel and Harribel from the Hollow side of it, he had certainly seen beautiful women. But, as beautiful as each of them was, nothing could compare to her.

She was divine, ethereal, and for the first time in his life, he'd found his breath had been taken away.

Long strands of ebony hair fell down her back contrasting beautifully with her porcelain skin, thin pink lips were set into a warm and alluring smile and long eyelashes framed her vibrant golden eyes which looked as if they were burning with the fire of the sun itself. She was dressed in a red kimono decorated with golden suns that hugged her generous figure, it had long sleeves that covered her hands and was held together with a yellowish golden Obi that reminded him of his own Hollow eyes.

Coming to his senses he noted that he was staring quite heavily at her, much to his embarrassment and her amusement he could feel his cheeks heating up quite quickly the longer he gazed at her, and soon enough he found it hard to meet her gaze any longer.

"You need not be embarrassed, Ichigo-kun," she assured in a melodic tone sending shivers down the teen's spine and soothing his nerves.

Lightly he cleared his throat before bowing slightly and greeting the woman before him, "Hello Amaterasu-sama, it's a pleasure to meet you." Mentally he patted himself on the back, his voice was steady and it came out cleanly however when he noticed a slight frown cross her face he wondered if he had actually messed something up.

"While it's nice to finally see you learning some manners I can't help but think that being polite really doesn't suit you Ichigo-kun, so please be at ease around me." Her tone was teasing and her smile playful which showed that her words weren't meant in a negative way. No, in truth she found his brash and abrasive manors while in the company of 'superiors' to be quite charming.

Outwardly he showed surprise, everyone always told him to be more polite and now that he meets the Goddess of the Sun and actually is, she tells him not to be anymore, though inwardly he was thankful. He hated kissing ass, even if he respected someone he would never beg for something. "Well, if you're sure..." he replied finally, taking her words to heart and sitting down on the cushion across from her.

Her warm smile from earlier came back which made him happy, he couldn't understand why but he had an unnatural desire to make this woman before him smile, to make her proud of him, it was odd.

For the first couple of moments both of them just sat there gazing at each other, both content with trying to read into the others thoughts, though after enough time passed Amaterasu spoke first and took a more direct approach. "What is on your mind Ichigo? What are you thinking?"

It was a simple answer, "I'm wondering why the Goddess of the Sun wanted to meet me of all people."

"Straight to the point, very well," she nodded in acceptance. I have watched over you since you were born, I knew from the very beginning that you would be special and no, not because of your heritage either. I knew that someday you would become an incredible man who would inspire all others around him and I was right." The genuinity in her tone brought a flush to his cheeks, the young teen couldn't help the reaction he was having, it felt as if he was being praised by his very own mother.

"Then how do Urahara-san and my Oyaji know you then? It was pretty obvious with how they spoke about it that not many people know you exist, not to mention everything else out there as well."

The Goddess' molten gold eyes went dim for the briefest of moments, filled with a sadness that did not go unnoticed by her young hero. "On the night that your mother passed away, you were supposed to die with her," she began in a sombre tone causing Ichigo to stiffen.

"But how could I let such a thing happen? From a small, ever giggling baby with bright orange hair I watched you grow, witnessed glimpses of the wondrous man you would become, have become." She smiled warmly again seeing the flush of embarrassment rise to his cheeks once more. "As the one who would become our Hero, the one who would make even fate shrink away in fear, how could I let you be claimed that night? I couldn't."

"And so I did what no God ever should," she paused briefly, the memory of her brothers scolding her for her reckless actions coming back, "I descended from these Heavenly Planes and entered the mortal world, it was then that I met your father."

As for your shopkeeper friend, he has quite the habit of sticking his nose into places where it doesn't belong. But, I supposed it's to be expected for a scientist of his calibre, the man is far too smart for his own good."

As she finished giving her reply her voice held a slight tone of annoyance whilst speaking of Urahara, something which Ichigo would have found quite amusing had he not just been told that without this woman he would currently be dead. How was he supposed to react? How could he ever repay her? What could a powerless former Shinigami do for the Goddess of the Sun?

"Thank you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you for saving me," he spoke truthfully, Ichigo wasn't one for theatrics nor was he the type to throw around thank you's and praises without reason so he just hoped she could tell the genuine gratitude he had.

She merely scoffed and wove her arm in a dismissive manner, "Don't be silly Ichigo-kun, you have already repaid me by growing up to be such a strong and kind-hearted young man, and lets not forget the many times you have already fought with your life on the line to protect the Soul Society and the human world. I would never demand anything of you, and in truth, it is I who owes you for all that you have done."

Ichigo simply nodded head in response, he understood that nothing he could say would be able to change her mind and so, for now, he would just let it go, besides there was something on his mind that he really wished to ask about. "I get now that there is a lot more to this world than what I first imagined, but how is it that no one knows anything? Surely the different races would bump into each other eventually, right?"

"Normally that would be the case," she agreed with a nod, "but we have taken measures to counter this." Pausing, a thoughtful countenance found its way onto her beautiful features. "Hm, how should I explain this?" Amaterasu murmured.

"There are two versions of Japan in the human world, both of which exist in the same place at the same time." She began slowly, her left index finger lightly tapping her chin as she searched for the right words.

"Imagine that both of these Japan's are layered together, the bottom one is the original and the top a protective shell.

We- my brothers and I, created that protective shell, a parallel dimension to the original and it is what you and the other Nihon jin call home."

"So it's a fake?" He asked bluntly, an odd feeling building within himself. To hear that the world he grew up in, had friends and family in, was nothing more than a fake created with a likeness to the original was a little unsettling if he was honest.

"In a sense, yes," she replied honestly. She could sense the unease building within the young man before her, it was understandable, she knew what thoughts plagued him.

"Do not dwell on it, Ichigo. I may have called it a fake, but it is not so cheap as the word implies. Everything you've experienced in your life, with friends and family, is real."

He nodded gratefully at her words. "But why did you guys do it? Create the fake I mean?"

"To protect the Shinigami." She answered bluntly, her voice a tad bit colder than previously before.

"The Hollow are a disgusting sin on this land. A curse laid upon my children because of petty vengeance," she hissed out with venom. "Their origins are perhaps something you will learn in time Ichigo, but my brothers and I did what we had to for the safety of my children and more so the world."

There was a slight lull in the conversation as Amaterasu worked to regain her composure. It was rare that she lost herself like that but she was not immune to darker emotions. "The Shinigami's role as balancers is far too important to risk being compromised. The parallel Japan we created serves two main purposes.

The first is to keep the innocent unaware." She paused, seeing a look of confusion seep into Ichigo's eyes. "Do you know where our powers originate from, Ichigo?" A simple shake of his head was the answer.

"They come from the Dimensional Gap. All of the residual energies from this universes creation swarm between our separate dimensions. It is this energy that seeps into our worlds, imbues itself in the plants, flowers, trees, water, the very air that we breathe. Then, though that air that we breathe, the water we drink, the plants and animals we eat that we too are imbued with energy.

Our parallel dimension cut off the residual energy from entering Japan, the air we breathe and the water we drink. It kept my children powerless and unable to see the spiritual."

"To keep the innocent unaware," he repeated softly, Amaterasu true meaning finally becoming clear.

It all clicked in Ichigo's mind, ' _so that's why humans can't see Shinigami or the Hollows_ _..._ ' He'd always been curious about the fact, now it made sense. ' _And she specifically said spiritual beings too, meaning not the Quincy, that is why humans can see Ishida despite him having powers._ '

The woman before him nodded pleasantly.

It's kind of hard to grasp," the teen admitted, bringing a curious light to the Goddess' eyes. "This parallel Japan I mean, to think that it's existed my whole life and I was completely unaware." He scoffed lightly, "I guess the fact that it exists in the first place is the craziest part of all."

Amaterasu let out a small chuckle at his words. "This is a world of _Gods_ , Ichigo. I am the Goddess of the Sun and with my two brothers Tsukuyomi and Susanoo we complete the Trinity, something like creating a parallel dimension is a simple task for us."

On his face was a look of incredulity. Creating a dimension was a simple task? It truly put into perspective just how insignificant he was. Even at the height of his power, the Final Getsuga Tenshō, how insignificant would he be against this woman before him? He couldn't say he was all that eager to find out.

Letting his mind fall back to the task at hand he posed another question which had been poking at the pack of his mind. "I get the importance of balance, but isn't this all just a bit excessive? Surely the Shinigami can protect themselves. Isn't Jii-san supposed to be the strongest Shinigami ever born?"

He couldn't help but doubt his own words even as he said them. He could think of a few moments off the top of his head when they couldn't protect themselves, and he was forced to step in for them. He was wrought from his thoughts by Amaterasu's melodic laughter.

"Yes, 'gramps' as you call him is indeed powerful, frighteningly so. In fact, there is only one Shinigami who could hope of besting him, and that is merely due to the abilities of his Zanpakuto. That's not to say he isn't powerful in his own right, of course, it's just... Shigekuni is someone who common sense can't really explain." With a light shake of her head, she regained her original train of thought. "The problem lies not with their ability to protect themselves, Ichigo. And this leads to the second reason my brothers and I did what we did. It is because of everything else that exists in this world. There are many others who would like to accomplish what Sōsuke Aizen could not."

Ichigo grimaced at the thought, ' _ _I'd rather not have to see another Aizen so soon.__ ' But he had to wonder, "how many times has that actually happened? Someone invading the Soul Society?"

Amaterasu gave him a wry grin, "You mean before you did?" Her grin widened when the teen shrunk in on himself, embarrassed at the reminder. "It has happened once," she continued, deciding she could tease him later.

"It was nearly a thousand years ago now that the Quincy armies marched onto the planes of the Soul Society; they lost as you would guess, but it was far too close a battle for my liking. If the Shinigami did not have Shigekuni leading them; they would have certainly lost that war." When she'd finished speaking her tone had grown quiet and her eyes distant; it was clear she was lost in a distant memory.

Then, after a moment of silence, she came back to the present world and continued her explanation. "The Quincy were never meant to co-exist with the Shinigami and Hollow. It is by no mere coincidence that so few other races are found within our borders."

"Never meant to co-exist? Does this parallel dimension you created also block other people from entering it then?" He asked, though oddly enough the Goddess shook her head negatively.

"No, the other races stay out simply due to agreements with us." She explained. "As I've said before, the Shinigami's role as balancers is far too important to risk, the other Pantheons know this just as well as we do and thus even groups we are unfriendly with respect Japan's borders.

That isn't to say we are alone here, there are times when the other Pantheons need to enter our borders and it is allowed. More so, there are those I have granted permission to live in this country as long as they follow my rules. Those who enter without my permission or are negligent in upholding my conditions find themselves... dealt with."

Ichigo felt a shiver run up his spine at the dark tone the Heavenly Mother had taken for those last words.

"So if the Quincy aren't originally from here then why did they want to invade?"

"It was because of Yhwach, the Quincy King and their progenitor," she answered, her mouth twisting downwards in distaste. "To say he is the son of the Reiō wouldn't quite be right as they were originally one and the same, but it works for now.

The Reiō was a God, an immensely powerful one too due to the ability he possessed. Precognition. Alone it is a frightening ability, however, his was twisted, not only could he see the future but he could immediately understand anything seen in the visions as well, and that isn't all.

Imagine that all of the different flows of time are grains of sand, each one possessing an alternate reality to our own. His power, Ichigo, is to simultaneously see each of those grains of sand and 'jump' to them, changing our current timeline as he wishes, such as instantly destroying a Shinigami's Bankai or infinitely erasing his own death from ever happening."

He felt overwhelmed by what he'd just heard. Amaterasu had just said this was a world of Gods where making dimensions was a simple task, but hearing that such a broken ability existed was just hard to grasp. He just couldn't imagine it, releasing his Bankai during a fight and having the blade suddenly snap in two. It was a ridiculous notion.

After giving Ichigo a couple moments to sort his thoughts the Goddess of the Sun continued from where she left off, "The Reiō fully understood the magnitude of his power and he understood how dangerous it would be if it continued to exist, thus he split himself along with his power and created Yhwach.

The both of them possess the ability to see the future and understand everything within it, though thankfully neither can change it to suit their need any longer. Yhwach, of course, deemed this as unacceptable and immediately set out to reabsorb his father and regain their true power, this time with him controlling it.

I recognized the danger that would come if such a thing were to be allowed and so I reached out to the now Reiō and offered him the position of regulator for the souls. Were he to accept, he would be safe from his son in another dimension with an army of Shinigami to protect him should Yhwach somehow find his way into the Soul Society."

"I'm guessing that the Shinigami don't know that part of the story?"

"Of course not," she replied with a shake of her head. "Sometimes it is best if you don't give all the details, instead tell them simply that there is something they must protect no matter the cost."

A couple of moments passed in silence before a light sigh escaped the teen. "Y'know, this is a lot to take in, putting aside the fact that I'm in Takamagahara talking with one of the Shinto Trinity with the knowledge that Dragons, Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, Kitsune and who knows what else exists out there, now I learn that the history between the Shinigami and Quincy go far deeper than I could ever imagine. It's just a lot to take in," He breathed out, tone relaxed and somewhat distant.

He wasn't complaining about all the knowledge being pushed onto him, in fact, he was happy about it. He'd always had a thirst for knowledge but this was just simply a lot to take in. These weren't small secrets you shared with a friend in elementary school, these were world-shaking revelations.

That was something which had always pissed him off, most people just treated him as a naive and dumb child who could understand complicated situations and topics. As such they would always unnecessarily dumb down explanations for him. That was one of the reasons he loved spending so much time with his two mentors, they were two of the few people who actually realized his true intelligence and would hold meaningful conversations with him.

It was for that very reason he would have tea with Kyōraku-san every time he ventured to the Soul Society, and usually Ukitake-san as well considering they were always together. Even though he put up such a lazy and uncaring front the man who hid his eyes behind that straw hat was anything but, he was scarily perceptive, analytical, and had seen right through Ichigo the first time they met.

He had been present during one of the Captain meetings after the incident with Amagai and the Bakkōtō and as usual, they were treating him like a child who couldn't understand what the grownups were saying. Kyōraku had been very quiet the whole time and in truth, Ichigo had forgotten he was even there.

It was surprising considering the outlandish pink kimono he always wore atop his haori. But that was one of the things which made him so scary, the ability to seamlessly blend into a situation and analyze everything before acting.

At one point during the meeting, Ichigo had caught the eyes of Kyōraku peeking at him from under the brim of his Sakkat. He'd be lying if he said it hadn't put him on edge. Though in the end, it seemed he worried for nothing because after the meeting had finished the man approached him with a warm smile and an offer for tea.

Well, it was actually sake that was offered but after much convincing to the man that he was a minor and unable to drink alcohol they settled on tea.

So, sat out on a porch at the eighth division with tea and sake in hand respectively the man had spoken up very bluntly and asked, ' _why do you let them belittle you?_ ' It had caught him off guard, to say the least, but in the end, that was the start of a great friendship. Well, perhaps friendship wasn't quite right, in truth he was like an uncle to Ichigo.

Pulling himself from his memories he made the alarming discovery that for the past few moments he had been completely ignoring the Goddess of the Sun, and judging by the knowing smirk on her face and the twinkle of mischief in her eyes she knew it as well. Thankfully, however, she didn't seem bothered by the fact. "Sorry, I was lost in thought," he mumbled out sheepishly.

"No need for apologies Ichigo-kun, as you said this is a lot to take in."

With a nod of his head, he made the decision that since he'd already been given so much to think of today he might as well just finish it off and ask her the question he'd been holding in since Kisuke told him the things in his dreams were real. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious so could you tell me more about... well everything?"

"I don't mind however it would take much too long to tell you, so instead how about I show you."

Any confusion which may have stemmed from her statement was quickly blown away when she lifted her arm over the table between them allowing the sleeve of her Kimono to fall back and reveal her dainty hand, pushing down any feelings of embarrassment he reached his own larger, more calloused hand across and grasped hers lightly within his own. ' _I really am a prude,_ ' he grumbled inwardly as a blush began warming his cheeks, thankfully before it could get too far his mind went blank and images along with information began assaulting his brain.

The Shinto Trinity of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo as well as the Kitsune who call Takamagahara home. The Allfather of the Norse Odin, his brother Loki and son Thor. Sun Wukong the Victorious Fighting Buddha and first Monkey King. The Hindu Trimurti of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Lugh, the Celtic God of War and Aten, the Egyptians own Sun God.

It was frightening to learn that Trihexa, the beast recorded in the book of the apocalypse was real, that discovery led to the Dragon's starting first and foremost with Great Red who much like Trihexa was the Dragon recorded in the book of the apocalypse. He was a being with complete authority over the dream, the both of them so powerful that if they were to ever fight than this world would be destroyed.

Only slightly below them was the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis, who much like the other two could end everything on but the slightest of whims.

Below them, you have the twin Heavenly Dragons, Ddraig and Albion as well as the six Dragon Kings which became five when Tannin the Blaze Meteor Dragon became a Devil for reasons unknown. And, if that wasn't enough Dragon's for you there were also the eight evil Dragons though not all of them lived anymore. Crom Crauch through vigorous training was able to reach and surpass the original strength of a Heavenly Dragon and Apophis and Aži Dahāka weren't too far behind from him.

This was all frightening information to someone like Ichigo who for the majority of his time as a Shinigami believed Aizen was the biggest threat he would ever face. Aizen was nothing more than a spec of dust to some of these beings and it took Ichigo literally everything he had just to weaken the man enough for him to be sealed. And now he finds out there are all these people who could make short work of him even after his Dangai training and he didn't even have that strength anymore.

It was then that the really interesting information came. The Great War between the three factions that have each been decimated to an almost irreparable level, the God of the Bible along with the four original Satan's of Hell had each perished in the war.

The Devils had something called a peerage system which would allow them to reincarnate beings of other races to re-bolster their numbers. The Angels, on the other hand, had been pretty screwed until this point and as such had fallen behind in the power race. Now they had the Brave Saint system which was modelled after the Peerage system and allowed them to reincarnate people as Angels, however, their system was much more strict and thus even though they could perform reincarnations it was much harder for them to find worthy people than it was for the Devils.

This was a troubling bit of information for Ichigo. He had nothing against the Devil race per se as he'd never actually met one, but a balance between the Angels and Devils was something that just seemed really important on a base level and currently, there was none. The Fallen Angels, while low in number weren't in too dire of a situation as they took in anyone from any race, as such their numbers would replenish easily enough over time.

The Devils four Satan's were now titles to be earned and not actually inherited through bloodline, two of their current four were also Super Devils which put them on far different levels compared to the rest. While Heaven couldn't replace the God of the Bible they still had their original ten Seraph and four Great Seraph.

Out of everything shown to him the thing which interested him the most was the sacred gear system created by the God of the Bible which allowed humans to have a better chance of fighting for themselves and protecting themselves against the other races.

It reminded him a lot of the Zanpakuto considering they each had the possibility of gaining a released state called the 'Balance Breaker.' There were many low tiered ones, however, there was also the 13 Longinus named after the True Longinus. Each of these 13 weapons held the potential to kill a God and two of them actually held the souls of the twin Heavenly Dragons.

When the images finally stopped he experienced a brief moment of excruciating pain throughout his head, though it was to be expected considering all the information he just had forced into his brain in an instant. So deep in thought he was that he didn't even notice the curious smirk Amaterasu was sending his way, when he did notice and was about to ask what was so funny she simply glanced at their still joined hands which had remained as such even though the flood of information had stopped a good couple moments ago.

He quickly retracted it after that and refused to meet the gaze of the woman before him due to his embarrassment, though it lessened slightly when the sound of her laughter reached his ears.

"You really are a prude, Ichigo-kun," she teased slyly, though inwardly she was smiling. She knew he wasn't really a prude, he was just a good man who respected women, there weren't many true gentlemen around like him anymore and so it just solidified it all the more that she made the right decision when she saved him all those years ago.

* * *

When their long conversation had finally come to an end, and he'd stepped outside the room, Ayame was already there waiting for him. She was thankfully still calling him Ichigo even if there was that annoying suffix at the end, though he'd pretty much figured she was only doing it at this point to bug him.

As she had on their initial walk to Amaterasu's home, she was stealing more glances in his direction as they walked. The further they got along the stronger her blush became.

It would be a lie if Ichigo said he didn't know what was going on. He had been told on multiple occasions by women – Shinigami and Human alike – that he was attractive. And, despite what they thought he wasn't actually dense. He simply played the part to avoid romantic situations. He wasn't scared of romance, he just never had a particular interest in it, he was always too busy.

After winding his way throughout more hallways then seemed conventional they reached the baths. ' _Huh, I thought I'd be eating first,_ ' he thought curiously, then shrugged. Who was he to say how they should do things?

Well, although he tried to keep such an open mindset it was difficult with the words that next came out of her mouth.

Apparently – as was the custom in Takamagahara – he needed to soak for equal amounts of time in two separate baths.

Now, maybe it was just Ichigo being paranoid but the whole thing just screamed suspicious to him, however, that didn't mean that he thought Amaterasu was plotting against him or something equally stupid. So, he settled for levelling the short-statured girl next to him with a skeptical gaze.

And he had to give it to the girl, she had a damn good poker face.

The first of the two baths he was made to enter seemed relatively normal, the water was oddly white but with all the steam rising from the surface he passed it off as maybe a trick of his eyes. The second bath she asked him to enter was when he really became guarded. It was hot, the kind of hot that made you wonder if your skin was going to melt away before your eyes yet it didn't hurt, in fact, it felt incredible.

No, the reason this spring gave him pause was the fact its waters were blood red. As with the first he was required to spend exactly thirty minutes soaking in the waters though for what reason he couldn't say, any attempts at questioning Ayame were swiftly deflected and he quickly gave up due to a realization that he wouldn't get anything from the girl.

It was... a weird experience to be sure, but he couldn't call it a bad one. To say he felt refreshed would be an understatement, the throbbing headache he'd received from Amaterasu's information transfer was nearly gone and his body hadn't felt this light in a long time, not since he was a Shinigami.

Donning the yukata which had been provided for him – a deep Prussian blue with silver firework designs running up the right side – he stepped into the hall where his guide was once again awaiting him. Any greeting that might have been shared between the two was cut off by a vicious growl escaping his stomach.

Embarrassed, he rose a hand to scratch the back of his head and fell into step behind the girl.

The dining room was as grand as you would assume. A large rectangular table with a beautiful potted flower in the middle. The far wall was composed of three large shoji doors, each of which was open exposing the garden.

There were a handful of servants waiting diligently along the wall to his left and another group bringing in endless amounts of food. He could only stare wide-eyed as the pile continued to grow higher.

When all was said and done it looked as if they were planning a great feast, yet he was the only diner in sight.

"If you would, Shiba-dono," and elderly Kitsune spoke up suddenly from the far end of the table. He had pulled the head seat out and was waiting patiently for Ichigo to make his way over.

It was too much for him, he had never been one for all this extravagance, but for fear of being rude, he would comply. He knew they were only doing their jobs.

Sitting down he let the man gently slide him back in towards the table. With a small thanks, the elderly man bowed and returned to his post at the side of the room with his fellow servants, waiting diligently for an order.

Turning back towards the feast before him, his nose was assaulted with a heavenly smell. He couldn't help but dig in, he tried to be humble and hold manners but the more he ate the hungrier he got and the faster he felt the need to scarf the food down, he couldn't control himself.

By the time he was finished he'd eaten enough to make himself explode a few times over and honestly he was quite embarrassed with himself. None of the staff around him so much as batted an eye however so maybe it was normal in the supernatural to eat so much? He didn't know but he was definitely thankful for their lack of reaction.

When he was finally finished and had been escorted to his new room the first thing he'd done was plop down onto the futon laid out for him. It was a shame that it'd gotten so late because with how great he felt at that moment he would've loved to do some exploring. But, as his head sunk into his pillow his body was overtaken by sudden exhaustion.

It was odd, there were many nights he could remember that had been limited to a couple hours of sleep due to his Shinigami duties or trying to catch up on his neglected homework. Yet right now it felt like he hadn't slept in years, no matter how hard he fought it his eyes drifted shut and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

When he woke up it was definitely Karakura Town staring back at him. Well, if he could call it waking up, he was just stood in a random street when his eyes opened. The last time he checked he couldn't sleep standing up nor did he sleepwalk, so why or how he got there he couldn't say.

The town was eerily quiet. All that could be heard were the flipping pages of a nearby book that had been left open and abandoned.

More than the creepy atmosphere around him though, what really put him on edge was the lack of people.

He went up and down the street a couple of times, making sure to peek his head into each shop he passed but it was no use, there was no one.

Making his way back to the book which had been left open on one of the tables outside a cafe he shut it with a soft thud. "Can't Fear Your Own World... huh?" He whispered softly, he'd never heard of the book personally but he'd be lying if he said it didn't fit his current situation a little too well.

Glancing into the cafe window he was once more given evidence to support his theory. ' _Half-eaten plates of food, just like everywhere else_ _..._ '

The most off-putting thing about the whole situation was not the lack of people, however, it was the state they'd left the town in. Car doors open with grocery bags dropped ungracefully on the pavement.

Street vendor stalls left in a mess, some of the shelves knocked over and their wares sprawled out on the ground. Books sprawled out messily in the nearby store as if a tornado had run through the place.

Whoever was here, they had left in a real hurry. And, in most of the places he searched it was more than just mass panic, there were signs of struggle, like they were desperately fighting something.

He was broken from his musings by a flash of black in the reflection of the glass window above him. Slowly he tilted his head up as not to make any sharp movements, the white-knuckled grip on the glass table he was hunched over unrelenting.

He couldn't help the surprised grunt which escaped him when he laid eyes upon the figure, thought what it was he didn't know. It was just a mass of swirling black, vaguely human in shape but more monster than anything else.

Every so often a long, smoke-like tongue would slither from its mouth that sent him on edge. It was like he was staring into the eyes of a snake.

Hearing the blood pumping in his ears as his heart thrashed in his chest his adrenaline soared. Whatever it was, it was right behind him and getting closer.

Scanning the area around him for anything that could be used as a weapon he realized that there was no more time left. Darting forwards he grasped a metal chair in his sweaty palm and swung it around behind him with every ounce of strength he could muster.

When the chair passed through nothing but air he froze temporarily, a tenseness holding his form in place. Refusing to relent his makeshift weapon Ichigo made his way to the centre of the street and spun quickly on his heels, eyes scanning every nook and cranny as sweat beaded down his forehead.

But, no matter how long he searched, there was nothing.

And the silence returned.

Letting his posture fall lax he stood up straight and set the metal chair down gently on the pavement beside him.

' _I need to get home_ _..._ ' he thought finally, his senses sharp and nerves frayed.

Without sparing the area another glance he set off in a sprint towards the Kurosaki Clinic. In his hurry, he missed the reflection of the black monster staring back at him, its jaw set into a dangerous grin.

* * *

' _Faster... I need to go faster_ _..._ '

His lungs screamed in protest with every breath he took, the muscles in his legs burned with each new step he took. He made the right call in running home, there was something seriously wrong here, his family was in trouble.

He knew what had happened now- what may still be happening. Anytime he would pass a window or some other reflective surface time would slow and a scene would play out of the black figure attacking a civilian, their screams echoing in the streets as the creature devoured them.

Grimacing as another vision played before his eyes he pushed even harder.

He didn't know whether to be relieved or scared when he rounded the corner onto his street, perhaps a mix of both.

Well, he supposed it didn't matter in the end because when he laid his eyes on the clearly forced open door his heart sank. Stumbling into his home the evidence of the situation was clear, there had been a struggle.

The table in the entryway had been broken in two, the flower vase that usually sat upon it was shattered across the floor. There were some deep gashes in the wall and it looked as though a body had impacted it quite heavily if the dent was anything to go by. Clearly, his dad had given the intruder quite the hard time.

Rounding the corner into the split kitchen, dining room, living room area the table was moved out of place and a chair had been toppled showing that the struggle continued further inside. Approaching their couch which had been flipped on its front the teen noticed a sight that caused his heart to thrum painfully, ' _Oyaji... I'm sorry._ '

Just as he was about to crouch at his father's side a muffled cry came through the slightly ajar doors to the attached clinic. Leaping forwards he burst through the two glass doors and was met with a horrific sight. There it was, the black creature which had been haunting him, at its feet was an unconscious Karin and struggling in its grasp was Yuzu. Seeing her small hands clawing so desperately at the misty claws constricting her throat made him see red.

"Yuzu! Don't worry, I'm here now!" He shouted drawing the young Kurosaki's attention, though even as he said that he wasn't sure what the powerless him was supposed to do, but he'd be dammed if he didn't even try.

"O-Onii-chan..?" She choked out, a faint glimmer of hope appearing in her bloodshot eyes.

Just as he was about to launch himself forwards it all ended.

* * *

A/N:

 ** **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.****

 ** **I actually had this chapter done yesterday but I wanted to wait an extra day before posting it xD I know a lot of people are suspicious if this story will even be re-written or just abandoned because usually when authors say a re-write is coming it never does. So, I'll give you an update.****

 ** **I spent all day today re-working the original 12 chapters of GOTD and it is now complete, I can start re-writing the chapters as soon as tomorrow, I also have another two or three chapters planned passed the original 12. So don't worry, this re-write will be happening.****

 ** **Now then, back to the chapter at hand. It honestly wasn't too different from the original, the major changes won't start to appear until the Zanpakuto plays a bigger part in this story which I think is actually chapter two, so you won't need to wait long. Mostly in this chapter, I just improved the quality of writing and fixed mistakes.****

 ** **I also made some tweaks to how the world works in Guardian of the Dead which you would have noticed during Ichigo's conversation with Amaterasu. It was partly the same as before but I also took some inspiration from my other story 'In Darkness, Reborn,' and how that world functions.****

 ** **The second and biggest change in this chapter was the dream at the end. Obviously, since the Zanpakuto was changing the dream had to as well. Much like the previous one, this dream doesn't last too long, its short and to the point like most dreams are, but man did I have a blast writing it!****

 ** **Anyways, that's all for now!****

 ** **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.****

 ** **\- Vertius****


	2. Chapter 2

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 2 -

Ichigo all but shot up out of bed the next morning, noting quickly that while his nightmare hadn't lasted all that long before he was back, blacked out into a dreamless sleep, the anger and despair he'd felt during it had followed him all the way through. His hands were balled tightly into fists, his fingernails close to breaking the skin of his palms. He also noted with some distaste that he'd persperated quite heavily through the night; the way his clothing stuck to his skin being a good indication of such.

He would definitely need a shower to start the day, but for now, that could wait, he had much more pressing matters to attend to.

Standing swiftly he strode over to the shoji door which connected his room to one of the many gardens Amaterasu's manor seemed to possess. Quietly he stepped out into the crisp morning air and sat out on the edge of the porch, easily slipping from the top half of his yukata so that the cool morning breeze could wash over his skin.

So lost in thought he was, he failed to notice the effect his exposed upper half was having on every female servant that passed by, each giving him a long and appraising look. As beings of the supernatural, the many scars which covered his torso, chest, shoulders and back were not seen as unsightly, but instead, they added to his appeal. Each one of them was a sign of his strength, proof of the many battles he'd fought in and survived since bursting onto the supernatural scene.

Staring blankly ahead his thoughts were once more dragged down to that world he was in, that hastily deserted and ghostly version of Karakura Town that he couldn't explain. It felt far too real to be a dream. The warmth of the sun on his skin, the glossy texture of that books cover, the cold metal of the table and chair in his hand. His senses were too sharp, it all felt far too lucid.

The screams of the innocent, all those horrible visions he was made to watch, it all still pierced him to his core. He had tried closing his eyes as he ran to block it out but it was no use, that dark and sinister figure continued to haunt him even with his vision blacked out. That all-encompassing terror he felt as he stumbled across his father's motionless body, Karin's dishevelled appearance as she lay motionless at its feet, Yuzu's fear-stricken and bloodshot eyes and she hung in the monsters grasp, That _snap_.

The sound echoed endlessly in his mind; that sickening crunch as her throat was crushed.

Lifting a clawed hand to his face, his warm, golden-brown eyes twisted darkly as the ghostly feeling of his Hollow mask rested on his skin. He hated the feeling's that dream forced to surface within him; it reminded him all too much of his interaction with Hell. When those sinners had broken free and attempted to kidnap both of his sisters to lure him in, succeeding in taking Yuzu and dragging her down into the bowels of damnation.

The feeling of helplessness when he saw the chain growing from her chest, knowing that she was so close to being lost to Hell forever. The murky haze as his consciousness and sanity began to fade away, the overwhelming madness and hate, the desire to slaughter the man before him for damning his sister for all eternity.

He hated it.

Arm falling limply back down to his side he gave his head a light shake, his bangs swaying softly before his eyes. It wouldn't do well to remember such things right now, they were all fine and that time was over. He needed to get his mind back on track, back on that world he was in. If he was completely honest with himself it felt like an inner world, _his_ inner world, slightly different but his none the less.

Truthfully he'd already experienced something like this once before, back when he was training to try and learn the final Getsuga Tenshō. Upon entering his inner world in the Dangai the endless expanse of blue skyscrapers was not the sight he was met with; instead, it was an exact replica of Karakura Town that had been completely submerged in water.

Zangetsu had told him that the reason it looked as such was that he'd lost sight of the path before him. He had been so blinded by his fear of Aizen's power, by the madman's goal of sacrificing his town to make the Ōken that his inner world had begun to reflect it. The skyscrapers which signified his vast power and potential had vanished, and the rain which signified his despair had fallen so heavily that his entire soul had been submerged, he had become stagnant.

This occasion was so similar to that and yet so different at the same time. There were no threats to his hometown he was aware of, nor the people in it, so why would his inner world hold that form? And, more so, why was he able to enter it in the first place, he had no power right now. Zangetsu was locked away or simply destroyed altogether, and the same could be said for his inner world itself. The final Getsuga Tenshō damaged his soul to the point where he may never even regain his reiryoku again, so why then did he have that dream?

There were too many unknowns right now, too many questions that he just couldn't answer himself. Perhaps he could speak to Amaterasu about it later; if anyone could give some insight on the situation it would likely be her.

Slipping the top half of his uniform back on his head tilted slightly as the soft padding of footsteps drew closer to him from behind, stopping only a couple of feet away. Turning the upper half of his body to see who had come he was met with a pink-faced Ayame who seemed more than content with not making eye contact. It was at that moment when he'd realized what he had actually done, and a quick glance around at the other female servants in the vicinity gave him all the confirmation that he needed. A small blush of his own rose to his cheeks as he finally addressed the girl behind him, "uh, morning Ayame."

Quickly she steeled her emotions, she was on duty right now and it would do to get it trouble over such an embarrassing matter. "Good morning, Ichigo-sama, I hope that your sleep was good?" she asked, not missing the brief flash of darkness that swept through his eyes nor the brief tightening of his muscles at the reminder of that night's rest. Clearly, it hadn't been so pleasant for the young man, however, she wouldn't pry, she had no business doing so.

"Mm, it was good," he nodded, "Thanks for asking." His voice was smooth as the lie slipped easily from his tongue. He wasn't sure if Ayame believed him or not but there wasn't really much he could do about it.

"I'm pleased to hear it, I've come to inform you that the baths have been prepared for your use, afterwards I will take you to the main dining hall where your breakfast will be waiting."

Ichigo's brow twitched. ' _Oi oi, I'm getting treated like freakin' royalty over here.._ ' he honestly felt a little uncomfortable with it all, though it wasn't that he didn't appreciate the effort.

Amaterasu obviously wanted him to be as comfortable as possible during his stay and Ayame was doing her very best for him which he appreciated, but he'd never been much for formalities or luxurious living so this was just a little much for him handle so suddenly. He couldn't just say no, however, she was doing her best and he didn't wish to cause the girl any problems. "I see, well let's go then," he finally conceded. Nodding silently at his words Ayame turned on the spot and began walking down the hall, Ichigo only a couple steps behind her.

The walk was led in comfortable silence and once again Ichigo was reminded of just how peaceful Takamagahara was. _This_ is what the Soul Society should have been like for all the souls which passed on, not those lawless districts that forced people to live every day in fear.

The Soul Society was an evil place, undeniably so. Even the Seireitei was rotten to its core, however, something Ichigo was forced to realize early on was that it's a necessary evil. One consolation in it all he supposed was that the Shinigami were finally starting to change. It was slow sure, and no doubt there would be much resistance along the way, but it was better than nothing at all.

The main problem in the situation was that just because the Shinigami were willing to finally move on with the times didn't mean that their damn government would be too. It would take a lot more than a stern dressing down to get those fools to see reason. Ichigo merely worried about how drastic a situation it would take for them to finally understand that their current system no longer worked, he could only hope that they opened their eyes before it was too late, even if he knew that hope was small.

Stopping in front of a very familiar doorway the teen gave his guide a dubious glance. "All part of the customs, huh?"

The look he received was wholly innocent with just a touch of amusement hidden in her green eyes. Clearly, she knew something he didn't. She refused to say anything even as she shut the door behind him.

Undressing and stepping further inside the teen caught sight of the two suspicious pools, bone white and blood red that were awaiting him. After washing himself thoroughly he ventured further. He hesitated at the first of the springs for only a moment before stepping inside and sinking deep into its waters.

Honestly, he could say what he wanted about their appearances but creepy or not they felt incredible. This painless yet blistering heat that reached the core of his bones and the depths of his soul was soothing beyond words. And, after the previous night's dream, this water was heaven to his frayed nerves.

An hour and two springs later he was drying off and getting dressed, pleased at the sight of his human clothing washed and folded neatly in the basket before him.

As always Ayame was stood diligently outside waiting for him. He still couldn't decide whether or not she waited for the whole time or just had impeccable timing. Maybe one of these days the secret would be revealed. Smirking quietly to himself he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and stepped out into the hall.

It was Ayame who broke the silence this time as they walked towards the dining hall. Unfortunately, she carried with her some bad news. "Ichigo-sama, Amaterasu-sama has asked me to convey to you her sincerest apologies, it seems something has come up that requires her immediate attention; as such, she will likely be unable to see you for the next few days.

She has also asked me to inform you that you are free to roam as you wish, her manor and outside. You are a guest of the highest order in these Heavenly Planes so please feel free to ask any servant you see for anything should you need it."

With a crestfallen expression, his posture fell slightly slack at the news. He'd really been looking forward to continuing their previous conversation, especially now that he needed her guidance on the past night's terrors as well. It was disappointing to think their next meeting wouldn't be for a few more days but this was a whole new world for him, he was sure he could find something to occupy his time until then.

At that moment an image of a large cherry blossom tree fluttered through his mind. If he remembered correctly there was a small stone bench that rested under it which would be an incredible place to collect his thoughts.

"That's fine then, there was somewhere I wanted to check out anyways," he replied with a smile hoping to put the girl beside him at ease, she could obviously tell the news had bothered him but he was fine now and he didn't want her to worry about him.

She returned his with a smile of her own and nodded as they continued their way towards the dining hall.

It didn't actually take much longer for them to reach their destination and so both parties bid each other farewell. He couldn't even gather his own bearings again before there was a servant at his side ushering him to the table. As with the night before he was sat down and a wide variety of foods were brought before him in quantities that he couldn't normally hope to eat, but this was the supernatural where normal didn't exist.

Lifting the first bite of food to his mouth he could feel that unquenchable hunger once more begin to take hold of his senses. It was as if he'd turned into a savage, no matter how many plates of food were put before him it was all devoured. Only after the entirety of the table was empty and its contents in his belly did he feel full.

As embarrassing as it was none of them looked at him like what he'd just accomplished was odd, like one man eating enough food for ten people was normal around here, and who knows, maybe it was? Either way, he wouldn't question it. With a genuine thank you for another amazing meal he set off with a simple wave down the winding halls towards the garden he remembered from the day before, well at least he thought he was, unknown to him he was actually heading in the wrong direction.

After a ten-minute walk of him continually going in circles, he finally gave in and asked one of the passing staff for directions. And so, with a clear path to his goal in mind, he spent the remainder of his journey grumbling to himself about overly complicated manors and the lack of maps for guests like himself.

His sour attitude quickly passed when did arrive, this spot was just far too peaceful for him to continue sulking. The temperature was comfortably warm and the shade from the tree coupled with the soft breeze that swept over him every so often made sure he never got too hot. It was blissful, the serenity which echoed throughout every fibre of his being right now was something he wouldn't mind feeling every day, just sitting here watching the fish swim around haphazardly in the pond below, without a care in the world.

' _Without a care in the world, huh?_ ' Though appearing calm on the outside that was the complete opposite of how he actually felt, he had way too many thoughts racing throughout his head.

' _What am I doing here? Yes, Urahara-san told me to come so that I could get answers to all of my questions, but was that really it?_ '

' _I understand that Amaterasu saved me when I was younger and thus wanted to meet me when I had grown up a bit, that's all fine, but it can't be all there is to it._ '

' _Were it truly the case, then why show me everything that actually exists out there? Why tell me – a powerless human – about the deep-rooted history between the Shinigami and Quincy? Why tell me about the current tensions between the many factions of this world? She could've easily said no._ '

' _I already know why,' he thought with a snort. 'Urahara-san, my Oyaji, Amaterasu, they each knew that if I heard what was going on right now; if I knew about the spiritual world war that was dangerously close to starting that I'd want to intervene, to do anything I could to prevent it. So why tell me now that I'm powerless?_ '

The only explanation that made sense to the young teen was that his powers were returning, it was something that filled him with a good deal of excitement, but also trepidation. It would certainly explain why he'd entered that fake Karakura which felt shockingly close to his inner world. ' _Perhaps they've known it's been happening for a while and by coming here I can have them fully restored? Maybe that's why Oyaji finally told me the truth about him, about Oka-san, about my heritage, so when my powers are eventually restored I would have a deeper understanding of them; so I could be stronger for the inevitable shit storm that's coming._ '

Frustration crinkled in his eyes as his thoughts continued. ' _So why couldn't they just come out and tell me? Instead, they're trying to ease the information on me as my powers return when they know damn well if someone was in danger I'd do everything in my power to save them, regardless of the circumstances._ '

This is what had always pissed him off, ' _they're acting like the Shinigami, trying to play me for a fool, why can no one ever just be straight with me? It's like they assume I'll turn tail and run if I get wind of a potential threat, so instead they wait and wait and wait until there isn't any time left, then throw me in head first without so much as a word._ '

Sighing out heavily he let those feelings of frustration fizzle away before they could build into anything more.

* * *

~ Soul Society, First Division, Office of the Captain Commander

The strongest Shinigami born in the last thousand years sat hunched over in his office chair mulling over the latest report given to him by the stealth force. It was a simple report, but its contents carried much importance. According to the words written before him, Ichigo Kurosaki was currently missing, last sighted a week ago heading in the direction of the Urahara Shop.

Yamamoto scoffed lightly, ' _why am I not surprised that he might have a hand in this?_ '

The rest of the report didn't say much else of interest, the usual formalities and what not. They scanned the town for approximately five days after noticing his disappearance, furthermore, they monitored the emotional states of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, and his father Isshin 'Kurosaki' Shiba.

The stealth squad was unable to find the boy nor could they garner any information regarding his possible whereabouts. To add further confusion to the mix, his father and two mentors showed no outward signs of distress, the three continued their daily lives as if nothing had ever changed.

With all of this coupled together, the squad stationed in Karakura made the call last night to retreat back to the Seireitei, deciding that further orders would be required. It was the right call.

Setting the report back on his desk he stood with a grunt, while still the strongest Shinigami born in a thousand years, the old commander would admit his body was really starting to feel its age.

The loss of his arm certainly wasn't helping matters, that isn't to say he couldn't have gotten it 'rejected' back into reality by the human girl Orihime Inoue, but.. he would admit his pride had thus far stopped him from asking.

As it stood, he couldn't see himself still holding this position a couple hundred years from now. Eventually, he would need to pass on the torch, the intended target being Shunsui. He was the only real candidate for the position, perhaps Jūshirō if he wasn't so ill, but even still. The position of Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 required a certain level of decisive ruthlessness, the ability to make tough calls for the betterment of the future. Shunsui had that in spades, his carefree and philanderous personality did well to hide it but Yamamoto hadn't raised him since he was a boy for nothing.

No, this position was not something for the lighthearted. Yamamoto had experienced a lot in these thousand years, he'd seen the Soul Society at its highest highs and lowest lows, times of great frustration and anger, many great atrocities that were now told about in history classes.

And, it was his blade that caused most of them. On his head were countless lives and many genocides, most notably the mass extermination of the Quincy some two hundred years ago, and the great Quincy war another eight hundred before that.

But he didn't regret it. Often times you have to make decisions that you may not like, that may put you in a bad light with your subordinates, however, that is the downfall of holding such a position. All your life your good deeds will be overlooked by the bad, and when you do die you will be remembered more for the terrible things you did instead of the good that came from those same terrible acts.

It was the sad reality of positions of power.

Sighing out he slowly made his way over to the railing of his office which overlooked the Seireitei, a touch of melancholy entering his features. He knew that someone would eventually have to take over for him, but he would do his best to prolong it as far into the future as possible.

Glancing down at the courtyard below, the smiling faces of his Shinigami did well to ease some of the weight off his heart, this was one of his favourite spots to be when he had matters on the mind. Thinking back on the report he'd just read he came to one simple conclusion, everything about the situation pertaining to the young Kurosaki screamed suspicious to him.

The boy was powerless right now and as such, no Hollow would target him. Any former enemies that may have wanted to get revenge on him wouldn't have been able to find him no matter how hard they looked, and even if they could somehow manage it Yamamoto would send down the full wrath of the Gotei 13 on them in retaliation, damn what the Central 46 might think.

He was also aware of the various barriers Urahara had placed around Karakura in the spots the young man most frequented just for added measures of safety. More so, the twelfth division would have notified him immediately if any hostile reiatsu signatures had been located in the boy's vicinity. If such a situation were to occur than their countermeasures would need to be quick and effective.

In addition, the behaviour of the three former Captains living in Karakura only served to further prove that something was up. No matter how good they were at concealing their true emotions, if something had really happened to Ichigo Kurosaki they wouldn't be able to act so carefree. And, in the worst case scenario, that being his death, they would've had to tell the Soul Society if only so the Rukon districts could be searched and scoured to locate him once more.

Yes, he was certain that nothing bad had yet happened to the young man and he knew without a doubt that Kisuke Urahara was aware of his location, even if the troublesome man more than likely had no plans of revealing it. This, of course, was no issue to the veteran commander because of the many words that could be used to describe him, stupid was not one of them.

He already had a fairly good idea where the former substitute was, the location of which was completely classified so he couldn't tell the rest of his subordinates. Normally he wouldn't have been so willing to accept that the young Kurosaki had already made it _there_ _,_ but that boy really loved to prove people wrong.

* * *

~ Soul Society, the next day

As one would expect, news of Ichigo's disappearance leaked out and spread like wildfire all throughout the Seireitei. He was a known war hero to them all, even the Academy Students and some folk out in the Rukongai knew who he was. And, he even had a few fan clubs in his honour among the lower seated members of the Gotei 13, not that he was aware of course. So, it was understandable that when the news broke a lot of distress spread through the ranks. The various Captains and Lieutenants struggled to calm their divisions down in the aftermath, though an assurance that they were looking into it with the utmost haste was the best they could give.

Nevertheless, Ichigo's stubbornness and tenacity were well known to those of the Seireitei and so eventually all settled down again, well almost all.

"Damn that fool!" The petite, raven-haired Lieutenant of the thirteenth shouted, her Zanpakutō continuing its merciless assault on her fellow Lieutenants released blade. "He doesn't even have his powers anymore yet he can't stay out of trouble!"

"Oi oi, calm down Rukia!" Renji pleaded, he had no issue sparring with his longtime friend but this was getting a little ridiculous. Ever since the news dropped of his vanishing, she'd immediately hunted him down and without so much as a ' _Hey, hows it going?_ ' began to furiously assault him in an attempt to release her frustrations. He was pleased when it seemed like she was finally calming down.

"You know that blockhead better than anyone Rukia, he probably just met someone in trouble and bit off a little more than he could chew." As soon as that comment left his mouth he was forced to quickly bring up Zabimaru in an attempt to block, ' _alright, note to self, don't bring up Ichigo._ '

After a few more quick hits she stopped again, falling into a loose stance that Renji quickly mimicked.

"Do you... do you think he's alright?" She asked quietly, an uncertainty in her eyes that Renji hadn't see since they'd originally met the brash teen in question.

He thought about the question for a moment, as much as he wanted to believe he was alright, it was hard to say. Hell, they didn't even know for certain if he was in any danger in the first place, and if he was how severe it could be. "Honestly?" He finally answered, "I'm not really sure. But, no matter how much I think about it, Ichigo is just one of those people I can't imagine dying no matter what, the thought of him loosing just doesn't feel right," his words earned a nod and a smile from his shorter companion. "So yeah, I think he's doing okay."

After waiting a moment the red-haired Lieutenant broke the silence again. "So, have you heard anything else about the situation? Although Kuchiki-taichō has started being more open with me, he still holds back quite a bit." Renji finished in a downtrodden voice.

Rukia, of course, picked up on this. Her Nii-sama had certainly grown more open than he used to be but it was slow coming, and he had a habit of falling back into that closed off mindset at random times. Rukia was probably the only person who got to see him frequently in a more normal state when some of his defences were down, it was something she appreciated. "No, not too much has been decided so far, all I know for sure is that Yamamoto-sōtaichō is sending Suì-Fēng-taichō to the human world so she can speak with Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, and possibly Ichigo's father too."

Renji nodded, it made sense. "Do you think they know where he is? I mean, if he was in any real trouble don't you think they would have told us?"

Part of her wanted to believe they would, but another part of her – the wiser part – also knew that the Soul Society hadn't done much for Ichigo asides cause him trouble. If perhaps they did know where he was Rukia wasn't so sure they would say so. No one really wanted to talk about either, but there was an all too real possibility he had left of his own will, that maybe he wanted some peace and quiet away from the supernatural after everything he'd been forced to do because of the Shinigami's negligence and incompetence.

She couldn't help but wonder if he would even want to return to his role as a substitute Shinigami when his powers did eventually come back. The position had caused him more grief than anything, but then again, he never once complained. And, she knew deep down how much he loved to protect, she would even venture to say he had a bit of a hero complex.

She was wrought from her thoughts when Renji called her name once more, she flushed a little, embarrassed at being caught spacing out however answered him, "I don't know if they would, Renji," she said simply, leaving the rest of her unspoken thoughts to the imagination.

There was a brief moment of silence before it was again broken by Rukia, "let's spar Renji, a real spar this time," she called out suddenly with a smirk, he was surprised momentarily though his expression quickly shifted to match hers once he'd realized what she said.

Since both of them were already in a released state Renji wasted no time in dashing forwards and met her blade mid-swing. As soon as the Zanpakutō's made contact a gust of wind was sent out from the point of contact, Renji was impressed with how strong she had gotten. Even though she hadn't actually admitted it out loud her longtime friend knew she'd begun her Bankai training, his grin widened as a thought passed through his head, ' _this was going to be a really good spar._ '

The blade lock ended with Renji as the winner, his larger size and higher levels of brute strength meant that Rukia couldn't hope to win in a contest of raw strength, but where she lacked in some categories she definitely made up for in others, and she was dead set on making sure Renji was aware of that fact.

"Bakudō #26, Kyokkō!" she called out, catching the red-haired Lieutenant off guard, his eyes widened considerably when the small form of his friend vanished behind a shimmering wall of light.

Quickly he readied his Zanpakutō and stood guard, he could no longer see or sense Rukia and thus he needed to be ready for anything that could alert him to her location. It was times like this that he really wished he paid more attention in Kidō classes back at the Academy, he had no clue what this spell was or the full extent of its capabilities. The regret clawing at him grew stronger when he felt ice crawling up his legs attempting to lock him in place.

He recognized the ability right away as Rukia's first dance, Tsukishiro, but this wasn't enough to beat him. Gripping the hilt of his blade tightly he swung Zabimaru down and shattered the ground at his feet, taking with it the ice that had tried to encase him. Immediately afterwards he hopped up and spun whilst extending Zabimaru so he could sweep the courtyard in a wide radius.

His guess turned out to be correct when he felt his extended blade crash against Rukia's, shattering the illusion she'd placed. "Nice try Rukia! But you'll have to do a lot better than that!" Finishing his taunt in a yell he ripped Zabimaru away from her, forcefully ending their blade lock and temporarily throwing the girl off balance from the suddenness of the movement. Not wasting the opportunity he gave a small flick of his wrist and sent the whip-like blade screaming back at her, cutting into her left arm before she knew what had happened. By the time she'd moved out of the way it was too late, her arm had been deeply gashed and rendered nearly unusable.

Rukia hissed and winced sharply when she had to find that bit of information out the hard way. It was no good, she couldn't match Renji in pure Zanjutsu, she would need to think of a new strategy to defeat him. In a soft swish of Shunpo, she was on him and swiftly exchanging blows, taking advantage of her small stature and superior agility to deflect the full brunt of some of the harsher hits. This clash was only made more difficult with her limited to using one arm.

Unseen by her sparring partner a small grin etched on her face as she finally thought of how to achieve victory, but she would need a little more time. She continued to cut at him relentlessly, pleased to note that a lot more of her slashes were getting through and either cutting his Shihakushō or body directly. As the spar continued Renji had also switched to using just one hand. ' _He's getting cocky!_ ' she noted with no small amount of sadistic glee, she wouldn't waste this chance.

Suddenly, much to the shock of her opponent, she released her Zanpakutō, letting it fly out of her hand towards the earth. Her right hand which was now empty rose up and stopped while aimed at her opponent's chest in preparation to use Hadō #31, Shakkahō. That was a spell that Renji did recognize and at such a close range wouldn't be able to dodge, so instead, he rose Zabimaru diagonally across his body and hoped for the best. Unfortunately for him, he'd fallen right into Rukia's trap.

"Bakudō #4, Hainawa!" she quickly called out, ensnaring Renji in a length of golden chain. It wouldn't be able to hold him for very long but it would give her enough time to enact the next part of her plan. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudō #61 Rikujōkōrō!" This time, instead of a length of chain, six beams of light slammed into Renji's midsection fully locking him in place. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the utterly shocked look on his face, this was what he got for underestimating her and she wasn't even done yet.

With another quick burst of Shunpo, she appeared behind him while he continued to struggle, with a brief mental command she used her ice rope connection to pull Sode no Shirayuki back into her grasp. Drawing a circle in the air with the tip of her blade and giving a brief shout of ' _Tsukishiro,_ ' Renji was swallowed in a pillar of ice.

And finally, to finish everything off Rukia launched one more spell to assure her victory, "Hadō #33, Sōkatsui!" The explosion rocked the training grounds, chunks of earth and ice were sent careening through the air and when the dust settled a battered and bruised Renji, no longer bound by Kidō was seen falling ungracefully to his butt.

"Oi, when did you get so strong?" he asked, annoyed with himself. He should have been able to defeat her, not because Rukia was weak, but because he was stronger than her. Perhaps once she learned Bankai their levels would even out, but for right now he was stronger than her and he should have won.

Rukia just scoffed at the pouting fool, "Maybe if you took me seriously I wouldn't have made you look so bad." she taunted. The thirteenth's Lieutenant was just about to suggest they head to the fourth division when the sound of soft clapping filled both of their ears. As she turned around she was embarrassed to see not only Ukitake-taichō, but her Nii-sama stood there as well, proud gleams in both of there eyes.

"Well done Rukia, that was a splendid display of quick thinking and versatility," Ukitake said, smiling warmly. Byakuya merely nodded his head slightly in agreement, but for Rukia, it was enough to know that he was proud of her as well.

The Captain of the Sixth's gaze then shifted to his Lieutenant who looked like he would crawl into a hole and hide right then and there if he could. "Renji, we will be increasing your training from now on." He said simply, turning on his heel and beginning to walk away with all the grace one would expect from him. If anyone had been in front of him at the time they would have noticed a small smirk crack his icy features at the groan of displeasure released by his Lieutenant.

"Thank you for your kind words, Ukitake-taichō!" Rukia called out after his departure, her small form falling into a bow.

Said Captain of the thirteenth just gave her an exasperated look at the formality she still used. "Come now Rukia, you are my Lieutenant, there is no need to be so formal anymore." Even though he saw her nod her head in agreement it was doubtful that she would heed his words anytime soon, he'd been trying ever since she got the promotion and it hadn't happened yet, at this rate it likely never would. "Now then, why don't you both head over to the fourth and get those wounds looked at?" he suggested, earning a chorused ' _yes sir_ ' from the both of them.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Fifth Division

' _That dumbass, what's he gotten himself into this time?_ '

As soon as the news first dropped he and the other Visored in the Seireitei gathered together to discuss what the hell was going on. The report given to them was as bare-boned and useless as ever. Basically, all it said was that Ichigo had vanished on his way to the Urahara shop a week ago, what a wellspring of information right? All jokes aside though, that one detail told them quite a lot about the situation. The sole fact in all this was that Kisuke in some way, shape or form was involved. Now that could be a good thing, but at the same time, it could be pretty bad as well.

Their best guess was that the shopkeeper had somehow managed to discover a way to return his powers earlier than expected. As crazy sounding as it was considering how he'd lost them in the first place it really wasn't all that unrealistic. Kisuke was someone who could do _anything_ if given enough time, and Ichigo was as stubborn as a mule, if he really wanted his powers back, he'd get them.

The lot of them had just wanted to march down to Karakura and demand some answers but they couldn't just get up and leave the Soul Society, not without the old farts permission at least, something they knew he wouldn't give. They all missed the kid, it was bad enough when Central 46 give the order that no one was allowed to make contact with him now that he'd gone and lost his powers, something about ' _the dead not being allowed to talk to the living_ ' and ' _letting him live a peaceful life as he was originally supposed to._ '

It was a load of crap but what could they do? What made it worse now is that he was potentially in quite the pinch, and what could they do about it other than sit on their asses twiddling their thumbs?

' _Che.._ '

Shinji could only wonder why the hell he'd taken this job back in the first place. Well, he knew why. It was to help reform his division back to its former glory and give strength back to the Gotei 13. Despite his or his allies personal feelings on the subject of Shinigami, the fact of the matter was they were here to protect the souls of the innocent and they did a pretty damn good job at it. Of course, after those souls came here it was pretty shitty for them in those districts, but you can't change the world in a day, right?

"Hirako-taichō?" Momo called out, grasping her Captain's attention. "Are you alright? You've been sighing all morning.."

"Eh? Just thinkin' 'bout that report, Hinamori-chan," he answered dismissively.

She nodded, that was what she had guessed. Momo had never really spoken to Ichigo Kurosaki herself, but from what she'd garnered from everyone else he just didn't seem like the someone who'd go off dying so easily. No, wherever he was, Momo was sure he was doing alright.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Eleventh Division

The most fight loving squad in the Gotei 13 was in a completely different state after the recent report had been delivered. Whereas all the other Shinigami were down and feeling sorry about themselves over his disappearance and worrying over his safety, the eleventh was instead all being treated after their most recent ' _training session_ ' with the Captain. The reason for Kenpachi's sudden enthusiasm was actually what the report itself detailed.

Now, normally he couldn't even be bothered reading such things. In fact, it was actually Ikkaku and Yumichika who dealt with all of the paperwork most of the time, and every now and then Yachiru would help too, but unless there was something specific that he needed to sign he avoided paperwork like the plague.

When it was discovered that today's report had information on Ichigo he made an exception and snatched it up, quickly drinking in the contents himself. By the time he was finished, there was a psychotic, face-splitting grin on his face and his body had been coated in a fine layer of golden reiatsu.

The first thing he'd said afterwards, to the complete shock of everyone else present was, ' _So Ichigo's finally decided to get his power back?! Good, I've been itching for a chance to fight him again!_ ' and that was what had brought about Kenpachi's ' _enthusiasm_ ' to train.

Ikkaku had just finished another spar versus the man and was sitting a few feet away sipping sake when a question came to mind, something he had been curious about ever since his Captain had made that claim earlier. Yumichika and Yachiru who were sat close by obviously listened in as well, they too curious about the answer. "Hey, Captain? Why are you so sure Ichigo's training to get his powers back right now? What if he's actually in trouble?"

Kenpachi stayed silent for a moment, just staring down at the jagged edge of his blade. "I felt it the first time we crossed blades," he began, "although he may try and deny it, Ichigo loves fighting almost as much as I do, the only difference being the reasons we fight." He paused to scoff lightly, "Che, when those geezers in the forty-six ordered that he was to be left alone 'cause he'd be happier as a normal human, I laughed at the stupidity of it all. Hell, even some of the other Captains and Lieutenants are stupid enough to believe that shit, but not me."

He paused again before continuing, "when it was time to say goodbye to him and his friends and the old man ordered we all be there for it, I saw the look in his eyes. He tried to smile it off, did a good job of it too with all the halfwits round here that actually bought it, but the fact that his powers were leaving him made him miserable. I knew right there he wouldn't just wait it out and let them naturally return, he would try his damn hardest to get them back as soon as possible because Ichigo is a warrior like me. He lives to slaughter his enemies, and his instincts will always lead him to new battles."

That surprised them, Ikkaku always knew Ichigo loved fighting more than he let on, but to love it almost much as his Captain? That was saying something. His Captain was a lot smarter than people thought, most people just assumed he was a fight-loving neanderthal because that's seemed to be all he ever thought or cared about, but that wasn't true. His Captain was by no means stupid and to hear those words from him now gave Ikkaku all the reassurance he needed. ' _You'd better get your powers back quick, Ichigo. Zaraki-taichō isn't a very patient person,_ ' he thought to himself with a grin, though the grin quickly faded when he narrowly dodged the jagged blade of his Captain's Zanpakutō once more.

* * *

~ Takamagahara

Ichigo was once again back on that stone bench under the large cherry blossom tree, and he was just as content there as he had been the first time, though this time a look of slight displeasure could be made out in his eyes. It had been a week since Ichigo first arrived, and in that time he had not once talked to Amaterasu again after their initial meeting. It wasn't for a lack of effort he might add.

What was originally supposed to be a few days had turned into a week and it showed no signs of stopping. He had felt her around a few times, of course, coming and going from the Heavenly Planes, he may not have had his power anymore or the ability to sense reiatsu, but you didn't _miss_ the presence of the Goddess of the Sun. It was something greater than simple reiatsu.

He wasn't displeased at her, or anyone else here for that matter, he wanted that to be clear. No, it was something else. Every night since arriving his sleep had been terrorized by that same monstrous black figure. None of the dreams since had been as vivid as the first, but they were still there. If that wasn't bad enough, the haunting had extended to the daytime as well – or maybe he was just being paranoid – but he swore that sometimes it felt like something was watching him, that he would hear soft whispers when no one was around, too quiet to make out but there none the less.

It was why he so badly wanted to speak with Amaterasu, but he didn't want to bug her and so he let it be. Tried to keep himself occupied. He'd actually been rather busy in his time here so far, he'd done a lot of exploring in the nearby forest's and even visited that Kitsune village he'd walked through when he first came here a few times with Ayame as his guide.

The people here were so friendly that it actually caught him off guard, not to say it was a bad thing. The children loved to play with him, the woman would always give him a taste of their latest baked goods when he dropped by and the older men would thank him with an offer of a drink and a story when he helped with their daily chores. It was a life he could easily get used too. But then he'd start hearing things, maybe seeing them too and his mood would sour, he'd head back to the manor and come right to this tree.

Glaring down at the pond his gaze held no real maliciousness, just frustration.

Another constant during his time here was the morning and night, hour-long bath sessions in his two favourite springs, that and the gargantuan meals. He still hadn't gotten anything more out of Ayame regarding that, always just the usual, ' _it's part of the customs here,_ ' but it was fine, he was over it.

Speaking of Ayame... lifting his right arm he gave a small wave towards the girl who'd just emerged from the manor on the opposite side of the garden. Receiving a wave in return the pair exchanged smiles and continued with their tasks at hand. Although... there _had_ been something he wished to ask her, perhaps now would be as good a time as any. With a nod of his head, he began to stand, all the while sucking in a breath so he could call out to her.

He'd barely managed to lift himself off the bench when his body froze, the breath he was taking having hitched in his throat as his mind worked to make out the odd sensation that had just taken him over. It was quiet, only the barest of whispers in the back of his mind and yet stronger than anything he'd heard previously.

There were no words said but in that instant, something had called out to him. It was seductive, alluring, deceptively honeyed words from a venomous tongue.

He sprung from his seat and raced towards the manor, nearly losing his balance as his socks slipped on the polished wooden floors, it couldn't wait any longer. Slowly he wound his way through the halls following the spiritual trail leading right to his intended target, it didn't even register in his mind that a powerless person wouldn't be able to see the spiritual ribbons that every life form possessed.

His mind was set on one thing and one thing only.

Skidding to a halt in front of a familiar door the two guards posted outside quite literally jumped in shock at his abrupt arrival though it took them only a second to regain their composure and realize his intentions. With a smooth motion almost too quick for the teen's eyes to follow the Naginata both guards carried were crossed in front of the door blocking his path.

"We're sorry Shiba-dono, but Amaterasu-sama has asked not to be disturbed by anyone." The guard on the left spoke out, voice ever so slightly muffled by the mask he wore. The former Shinigami hadn't noticed the first time considering his mind was a little pre-occupied with the fact that he was about to meet _Amaterasu_ , but now that he looked closer these guards gave him an odd feeling.

Each guard wore black hakama held up by a grey sash secured at their waist. The top half of their outfit was more form-fitting than the usual Shihakushō, it reminded him a lot of his Bankai coat if he was honest, just not as long. Both guards hair was tied into a long spike at the back of their heads before being left to hang free about halfway through the length. The spikes of hair both led to a black mask with four light-coloured lines tracing over their heads.

"I know that," he answered in a drained voice, his recent nights of sleep hadn't been the greatest for obvious reasons. "I know that, but it's very important, I really need to speak with her."

"We understand Shiba-dono, but..." the guard began in a sympathetic voice before pausing and sharing a glance with his partner. They could see the pleading, almost desperate look in his eyes, for him to make such an expression...

They would likely be scolded by Amaterasu-sama, and Shutara-sama would punish them accordingly, but... the two guards shared another brief glance before nodding and retracting their Naginata. The opposite of the two guards who had been speaking to him turned and rasped lightly on the Shoji doors, stiffening slightly when the clearly annoyed tone of the Goddess of the Sun came in a muffled tone through the door.

* * *

Oh, how she hated politics.

Conversations with stuffy nobles and eccentric Gods all vying for the same thing as her, an upper hand in this supernatural game of chess they called diplomacy. It was no different than that of the humans, half-truths and deceptive words, only they as Gods were playing for much higher stakes.

The world was in a precarious state due to the three great factions. The Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils, who still hadn't achieved true piece and were simply in the middle of an extended armistice. Neither of the three sides wanted to continue fighting – they were far too decimated for that – however, no one trusted the other enough to actually sight a proper treaty.

Each of the three faction heads was waiting to be stabbed in the back, waiting for that one triggering moment that would ignite it all again. And if current affairs were anything to go by, it looked like the Fallen would be that trigger.

The rest of the worlds Pantheons – while not in as tense of relations with each other as the aforementioned groups – were still waiting to see what would happen next with the great three because that would dictate how the rest of the supernatural would play out.

Amaterasu had already told Micheal and Gabriel that should they need it, the Shinto would go to war with them. She had been good friends with the God of the Bible and to a lesser extent those two, she wouldn't let them be wiped out.

Her brother Susanoo was very close to Odin-dono of the Norse and could most likely persuade the old warhorse to send Thor-dono and some Valkyrie to aid the white city in the clouds as well, they alone would tip the scale greatly in Heaven's favour. Thor was someone considered to be in the top ten of this world, truly frightening indeed.

Mouth twisting sourly her thoughts went to that of the underworld. She had no doubt that Hades would join with the Devils or Fallen in such a hypothetical case just to spite her. They had never been on good terms- they outright hated each other to be honest, and he would be more than happy to sacrifice some Grim Reapers if it meant causing her some headache.

Sighing out tiredly she brought both hands up to rub her temples soothingly.

What was meant to be a wondrous time spent with her young hero had turned into a week of long sighs and aching migraines.

"Speaking of my young hero..." She said softly, listening curiously when she'd noticed his presence right outside the door.

She knew Ichigo had been asking about her since their first meeting, very eager to continue where the pair had left off, she just hadn't the time. But, something was different this time, she could feel the distress seeped in his slowly returning reiatsu, what could have happened that would have him so bothered?

"Yes?" She called out coolly in response to the knocking on her door. As much as she wanted to throw the door open and embrace her young hero in a hug, appearances needed to be kept.

"A thousand apologies for disturbing you Amaterasu-sama," The guard called out meekly through the door, "Shiba-dono is here seeking an audience with you, I am well aware that your orders were no interruptions but-"

"It's fine." She cut in, "I was just thinking of taking a breather, send him in."

* * *

-send him in"

Ichigo couldn't help but smirk slightly at the sigh of release the guard let out at those words, perhaps he had asked them to do something more outrageous than previously thought? Oh well. He thanked them both and moved toward his goal.

Sliding the door open and catching sight of the woman he'd been waiting to see all week the brief bit of amusement he'd felt at the two guards completely left his mind. The realities of the situation coming back hard.

No greetings were shared between the two other than a courteous nod from both sides. She hadn't asked what he'd been up to his first week here nor did he ask her anything, now was not the time for idle chit chat.

Perhaps he was blowing this whole thing out of proportion, yes perhaps, but that's not what his instincts were telling him, and his Hollow had always told him to trust his instincts more.

The actual conversation was over a lot faster than one would expect when they'd finally gotten down to it, it took only a couple minutes to describe the nightly visions and daily whispers that had been plaguing him. Amaterasu – to his comfort – never once looked overly worried or frightened about what he was telling her. The only emotion she had really shown throughout the whole thing was surprise, further expressed by a soft exclamation of ' _It couldn't be._ '

And, as abruptly as their conversation started, it ended just the same. Only now he had an assurance that the next day his issue would – hopefully – be dealt with, and so they parted ways once more, the Goddess with more paperwork to finish and Ichigo with an eased mind.

(BREAK)

Amaterasu had kept her word, well not that he doubted her of course, but the very next day he'd been brought before the Goddess of the Sun and briefed on their plans for the day. In order to find out what his dreams had meant, what exactly had contacted him, they would be paying a visit to her good friend's palace in a realm he was very familiar with.

And so, now here he stood on a large rectangular stone platform, each side lined with massive white columns. He wasn't sure if it was because they were so high up, or perhaps it was because of the reishi in the air but he found it a little difficult to breathe.

Staring out over the edge into the endless expanse of clouds it was kind of surreal to think that all of the Shinigami were currently below him, all of his friends were right down there and they had no clue.

With a small huff of amusement, he straightened himself back out and looked towards the actual destination. His eyes once more passed over the dark-skinned Shinigami currently talking to Amaterasu as he spun. The man had appeared as soon as they arrived, with genuine regard in his greeting and curiosity in his eyes, it seemed as though he had been expecting them.

Despite the large smile he seemed to always carry on his face his presence put Ichigo on edge. It reminded him of that time in the Captains meeting when his gaze met that of Kyōraku-san, a warm personality but infinitely dangerous. This Shinigami was not someone Ichigo wanted to become the enemy of.

Letting his eyes finally slide past the man he took in the rest of the surroundings. Opposite of where they stood at the other end of the stone platform was a staircase leading a large staircase up too another larger, circular platform. Further above that, floating high in the air with seemingly no path to reach them were five massive disks which looked as if they each had a massive city at their centre. And finally, at the centre of those five discs, sitting higher than anything else was a large cylindrical structure with a conical top and bottom.

The whole place was certainly impressive, as overly grand as you'd expect considering the name it held, and the being which called it home.

"Why so bothered?" The large man called out as he approached, "this is the Reiōkyu! You should feel honoured to step foot on these legendary pathways, it's not every day that an ordinary person can come here you know?" He finished jovially, his smile growing ever bigger.

"Although, I guess I can't really call _you_ normal, can I?" He added as an afterthought. Ignoring the confused glance being sent his way he took one of his large hands and smacked the teen on his back for added emphasis, nearly sending him face first into the smooth stone surface.

Catching himself before he could completely topple over he shot a half-hearted glare in the direction of the man who had hit him before looking back out towards the floating cylinder. He hadn't realized he was making such a face, it's just... "this is the place where Aizen tried so hard to get, to be here now, before him, feels a little odd I guess."

The man gave a hum of understanding. "Ah yes, such an impudent one he is. I would've liked him to make it here if only so I could teach him a lesson in manners."

Ichigo looked towards the man with incredulity. ' _So he could teach Aizen some manners?_ ' It sounded crazy, but deep down Ichigo had a feeling the guy really could do it. "Who are you anyway? I doubt you'd like me calling you baldy."

The man actually looked taken back at his words for a moment, then suddenly he erupted in boisterous laughter. Out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo could see Amaterasu bring a disbelieving hand to her face.

"Me? I'm Ichibē Hyōsube," the now named Shinigami finally answered, his laughter having calmed down. "Given the title of 'Monk who calls the real name' by the Reiō, I'm the Commander of the Zero Division whose primary tasks are his protection and overlooking the Soul Society. And, on occasions where things get out of hand in the supernatural, we also act as the Shinto's Royal Guard under Amaterasu-sama."

"Monk who calls the real name?" Ichigo repeated curiously.

Amaterasu, who had since walked over to the pair cut in, "indeed, the five members of the Zero Division are each a person who has contributed something great to the Soul Society, and Hyōsube-dono's contribution was the 'name.' Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, Kidō, the Asauchi and Zanpakutō, Shikai and Bankai, all of it was named by him, that is why he was given the title of Monk who calls the real name."

"Wow," was the enlightened response Ichigo gave, wide-eyed at that information. ' _Just how old is this guy then?_ '

"Wait a sec," He started again, looking towards Amaterasu, "I thought you needed an Ōken to enter this place? When did we use one of those?"

"Normally you do, though I am an exception to the rule. It wouldn't make very much sense if I needed a key to enter a dimension I helped create, now would it? She answered with a chuckle.

Ichigo nodded, it made sense. "So, what _is_ an Ōken then?"

At this question, Ichibē rolled up the sleeves of his Shihakushō and Haori respectively and flexed. Seeing that Ichigo wasn't quite getting it, he spoke up, "The Ōken is our very bones that were altered by the power of the _Reiō_. We, the members of the Zero Division _are_ the Ōken."

A look of horror covered the teen's face as the dots connected in his mind, "so when he was trying to create an Ōken..."

Ichibē nodded, "using the current Jūreichi and a hundred thousand souls he was trying to create one of us, a living being. Aizen was quite literally trying to play God."

The feeling of dread in the pit of Ichigo stomach was only growing as he encroached further and further onto the truth. "But that means the five of you were made the same way?"

Ichibē clearly sensed the direction his thoughts were going and put an end to it, "don't worry, we weren't made like that. All five of us started out as normal souls too and worked our way up."

Amaterasu who had been listening to their conversation nodded, "yes, worry not Ichigo-kun, I would never do such a thing." The feeling of relief coming from the teen at her words was palpable.

"Well, now that _that's_ been settled, what do you say we get on with it?" Ichibē asked, earning another nod from Amaterasu, though Ichigo was still confused.

"What _are_ we doing here exactly? Is the Reiō going to help with the dreams?"

"No, we're going to go visit somewhere in Hyōsube-dono's palace, a resting place for Zanpakutō if you will."

* * *

Ichigo still couldn't believe that those five floating disks each housed one of the members of the Royal Guard; talk about benefits of the position. Each circle consisted of their own palace centred around whatever it was that had earned them their position in the Zero Division in the first place as well as a small city of souls that they looked after as rulers.

Shifting his gaze to the monk he let out another exasperated sigh, "you guys really couldn't have thought of a better method to travel in here?" And hadn't that been a surprise; that he and Amaterasu were led to an embossed circle on the higher of the two entry platforms which he assumed was some sort of elevator or teleporter only to be flung in the air at who knows how many miles per hour?

Hell, he'd only managed to evade slamming painfully into Ichibē's palace due to Amaterasu's timely intervention. She had grasped the back of his shirt and helped him down safely like some sort of child; the amused glint in both their eyes had done nothing for the embarrassment welling inside of him.

Exhaling a bark of laughter; the man smacked him on the back again. "What are you saying?! It's such an exciting way to get around though!" This earned him another half-hearted glare. "What was that human saying again?" He murmured; bringing a hand up to stroke his beard, "Ah! That's it, there's nothing like feeling the wind in your hair!"

"You don't even have hair!"

Softly Amaterasu giggled from beside them. As always she was impressed by Ichigo's ability to get along with and befriend anyone. "By the way Ichigo-kun, it seems you're slowly starting to breath more easily now."

' _Easier?!_ ' He wanted to yell, though he couldn't draw the breath to do so. He'd barely been able to have that little back and forth with Ichibē just now. "You call this easier..?" He asked slightly hunched, sweat beading down his face.

He had noticed it when they first arrived; how heavy and dense the air was, but as soon as they'd gotten to the Monks city it increased, and furthermore as they climbed a seemingly endless staircase towards the man's actual Palace it got progressively worse and worse.

He'd originally wanted to tough the whole thing out. After all the power he once had, how sad would it be if he couldn't even climb a simple staircase? But, after nearly blacking out and tumbling back down the stairs he had given in and asked for a break. "What's up with this anyway?" He groused.

"It's because of the atmosphere here; we have an abundance of supercharged reishi particles which are harder on souls than normal reishi, even more so in my Palace. The fact that you are still recovering your powers means it's taking longer to adapt." The monk explained, sharing an amused and ever so slightly mischievous glance with the Goddess of the Sun.

The boy could really be narrow-sighted when he wanted to be, he hadn't even realized what had been happening for the past week.

Ichigo hummed thoughtfully at the answer. "Is it because of the Reiō?"

Amaterasu nodded. "Yes, his powers have a nature similar to the divinity Gods and Goddesses possess and as such the reishi surrounding him is affected."

"Is that why Gods are forbidden from entering the human world? You'll affect people too strongly?"

She nodded again; a sheepish grin twisted at the corner of her lips. "It is by no coincidence that the current Jūreichi is so abnormally powerful."

Ichigo's face fell deadpan, a twisted sort of amazement coming over him at the realization. "When you saved me..."

"I still can't believe you did that," Ichibē cut in with a shake of his head. The woman in question just looked away; hiding her embarrassment further from view.

After a couple more moments of silent travel, once they'd resumed their slow trek up the stairs he broke the silence again. He had been trying to keep his questions to a minimum thus far as not to annoy them, but this was something he couldn't hold of any longer.

"So what is this resting place of Zanpakutō anyways?"

"You should be able to see it soon, it's a special shrine that I keep watch over jointly with Amaterasu-sama and Ōetsu – another of the Royal Guard."

See it soon indeed. Shortly after those words were spoken they crested the top of the staircase and ambled further through the gate of his palace. It was quite rectangular in shape and relatively large. The main courtyard was very spacious and even standing here Ichigo could picture it being used for training.

On his right was a small building that looked like a home, flanked by a cherry blossom tree on one side and a garden on the other. Directly opposite of the entrance was another staircase easily as long as the first, a small, simple shrine resting atop it.

Finally, to his left, his eyes laid upon what looked almost like a shrine, but not quite it. Either way, he knew that building was their destination because even as he stood there struggling for breaths, whatever was in there was calling out to him.

"You remember the situation with Tōshirō Hitsugaya's friend, Kusaka, right Ichigo?" Amaterasu asked rhetorically. Of course he remembered. "Whereas all Zanpakutō are unique because they are born from a Shinigami's soul; Hyōrinmaru stands unique in that he chooses his own wielder. It was unfortunate that he chose both Tōshirō-kun and Kusaka-kun as his wielders..."

She paused and shook her head. "No, what was truly unfortunate is how we let those boys down." After a slight pause, the Goddess' brows turned downwards in a frown, frustration coming to the forefront of her expression. "Two Shinigami cannot have the same Zanpakutō at once? Says who? What sort lunacy is that?"

That whole situation had been a terrible ordeal born from an even more terrible decision made by the ruling government of the Seireitei. She had been neglecting that particular subject she would admit; always hoping that they would right their wrongs. But it never happened.

The laws created by the Central 46 were supposed to be for the benefit of the Soul Society as a whole; Shinigami and Rukon citizens alike. Instead, the only ones they helped were the Central 46 and the corrupt noble's backing them. She would talk with Ichibē again soon enough and they could begin discussing a solution to that particular problem, but that was a matter for another time.

"That rule is gone right?"

"Of course," Ichibē said resolutely, assuredly. "We don't often interfere with the Central 46 and Shinigami as we believe that all things happen for a reason; that to grow you need to learn from your own mistakes, but that was one small exception we – the Zero Division – and Amaterasu-sama agreed on making."

Seeing the look of relief on Ichigo's face and having come down from her burst of anger, she sighed once before throwing her attention back out to the subject at hand. "Well, no one ever said that Hyōrinmaru was the only Zanpakutō that could choose its wielder."

"This," Ichibē cut in with an extended arm as they stood in front of their destination, "is the home for those unique Zanpakutō who need somewhere to rest when they possess no wielder; this is where their souls reside."

He would admit he was excited to see which Zanpakutō he would find within, how many of them asides for the aforementioned Hyōrinmaru he would know. Unable to wait any longer he pulled both doors open with a gentle tug and stepped inside.

The inside of the building was smaller than he'd expected; rectangular in shape extending away from him. He would admit it was cozy within; just large enough for what was needed and nothing more. The light in the room was provided by what he counted to be ten decorative sconces, four larger ones that sat in the corners; two more on the left and right walls between the three pedestals they held; and a final two on the farthest wall flanking the one sword that remained by itself.

Using the knowledge he'd amassed from the many hours spent gaming with his sisters; the fact that the best weapons were usually stored separately from the rest; he decided that he would leave that one for last. So, with a slight struggle, he pried his eyes away from that particular sword and looked around the room again.

Glancing down at the first blade on the left he was taken aback not by the sword itself, but the condition it was in. The hilt which once must have been a beautiful, royal purple was now faded and dirty; the hilt-wrap frayed and unravelled in multiple locations. The bronze, oval-shaped guard was cracked and chipped along the edges, and the once midnight black sheath was now a faded grey and dried out.

"It's a sad sight, isn't it?" Amaterasu spoke up from her position with Ichibē. The pair had just stayed quiet at first; letting Ichigo take in the room and the treasures they held. Though she would admit the discomfort she felt at Ichigo's apparent interest in _that_ sword. It was the one reason why she didn't want to bring him here, but she had too.

Ichigo nodded solemnly. "Why does it look so... neglected?"

"Because it is," she answered with a sigh. "This is the fate of Zanpakutō who are left unused by their Shinigami for nearly a thousand years; not of their own choice I should add, but this is the sad reality of the situation nonetheless."

' _A thousand years?!_ ' It seemed unbelievable to him that a Zanpakutō could stay unused for such a long period of time. ' _She said it was someone that didn't neglect it out of choice, so it would have to be someone who hasn't fought all those years._ ' As he continued thinking about it, Amaterasu's words from a week prior came back into his mind.

' _It was nearly a thousand years ago now that the Quincy armies marched onto the planes of the Soul Society; they lost as you would guess, but it was far too close a battle for my liking. If the Shinigami did_ _not have Shigekuni leading them; they would have certainly lost that war._ '

"This is Jii-san's Zanpakutō."

Amaterasu hummed in approval. "Yes, this is the oldest and most powerful Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka. It is the only weapon in existence with the potential to release flames hotter than my own. Sadly, in the past thousand years, Shigekuni has only needed to release his Shikai a handful of times. While this is good because it means there had been relative peace, or at least no enemy strong enough that it would call him to the front lines; it is also terrible for Ryūjin Jakka who's flames have been left to slowly burn out."

"Flames that could match yours?!" He half-shouted incredulously. ' _Just how powerful really is the old man?_ '

"Yes, as unbelievable as it may be; though not everyone can reach such heights. Ryūjin is a lot like the thirteen Longinus in that regard; just because they each hold the potential to kill a God doesn't mean every wielder will be able too."

Ichigo felt bad for Ryūjin Jakka; however, there was nothing he could do for him. It was then that the next blade caught his attention, "Mirokumaru?!" He nearly shouted. He would never forget this sword.

His heart panged as the memories came rushing back, ' _Senna..._ ' The always curious, free-spirited and stubborn girl who had dragged him around those few days he'd been with her. It felt like so much longer. He still remembered the tears that stained his shirt in that graveyard, her tears of joy when he'd lied to her; told her that her name was etched into that stone because her vision was too far gone to make out herself.

Feeling a comforting hand on his shoulder Ichigo looked back into the warm, sympathetic eyes of Amaterasu and smiled. A smile he hoped was assuring.

Glancing to the third and final Zanpakutō in the row Ichigo was stumped. The dark red hilt which was longer than usual. And the eye-shaped guard; with each side being hollow and spikes protruding from the edges. He had never seen this before.

"This is Shiden, the strongest lightning type Zanpakutō in existence, but quite a lazy one too," she said with a quirk of her lips. "He has remained dormant for a few centuries simply because he doesn't wish to go through the hassle of finding a new wielder."

Ichigo stared flatly at the blade for a moment, disbelieving of the information he'd been given. Why was everything in the supernatural so quirky?

With a shake of his head, he moved to the opposite side of the room and started once again with the blade closest to the door. It was simple; a blue hilt and a rectangular guard, it looked like the Zanpakutō unseated Shinigami carried and he would admit he didn't know it. Or so he thought.

"You know this sword, Ichigo" Amaterasu cut in again, voice light with humour, "think of Karakura's assigned Shinigami."

It took only a moment for Ichigo to realize what she was referring too, "You've got to be kidding me... _him?!_ "

The Goddess' laugh was melodic. "Indeed, your very own Zennosuke Kurumadani, or as you like to call him, 'Afro-san.' This is his Zanpakutō 'Tsuchinamazu,' the strongest earth type Zanpakutō and one who cares not for the strength of its wielder, as you might have guessed."

 _Afro-san_ of all people had what was essentially a legendary Zanpakutō? Ichigo just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Ichigo hadn't even the chance to look at the next blade before a feeling of sorrow emanated from Amaterasu, glancing back at her with worried eyes he silently asked the question, ' _what's wrong?_ '

"This is Nejibana, the Zanpakutō of your cousin, the late Kaien Shiba." She sighed out on a shaky voice, tears threatening to escape her. "Such a tragic tale theirs is; the bond they held was like no other, a closeness unheard of for the Shinigami. And yet they were ripped apart so cruelly by one of Aizen's Hollow, nothing more than one of his experiments. She swore in her agony that she would never again bind herself to another, and I cannot blame her."

Ichigo felt a slight stinging in his own eyes though he couldn't be sure if it was from sadness at the story or anger towards Aizen, perhaps a mix of both. With a silent wish of happiness to the now names Nejibana he moved on.

Hyōrinmaru, the last of the six Zanpakutō that lay along the walls and a blade wielded by one of his good friends that needed no introduction.

Taking another glance around the room Ichigo really appreciated the weapons around him; each of which was the strongest in their element. Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, and Ice respectively. It was all certainly interesting, a place he was glad to have come, but...

"What was the point of bringing me here?" He asked, flicking his gaze between the Goddess of the sun and the Monk who had remained in the doorway the whole time without saying a word; content with just observing.

Amaterasu exchanged a weighty glance with Ichibē who hesitated briefly before nodding, then she turned back to Ichigo and spoke. "It was to try and solve the secret behind your dreams." She started, receiving a knowing nod from Ichigo.

"Your purpose for coming to Takamagahara was not a lie Ichigo; let me make that clear, however, it also was not the sole reason. The second reason was the return of your powers." Again Ichigo nodded knowingly which honestly kind of surprised her. She knew he was more perceptive than most thought, but she didn't think he'd discerned that bit of information yet.

"Yes, the original plan was to return your powers and go from there," she repeated, an undertone of stress lining her voice, "but that dream you had caught me off guard. It meant that one of these Zanpakutō was trying to contact you, which one, however, I couldn't guess. I know each of them fairly well, yet that scene you described to me in Karakura sounded nothing like them.

So, I changed my plans.

I would bring you here and let you meet each blade. Eventually, you would resonate with one of them and that would tell us who had contacted you. Then, you would talk to them and we could once again go from there.

Well, that's how it was supposed to go at least," she finished with a frustrated sigh.

"Hold on a second. You know each of them well? I could talk to them?" He wasn't getting it.

"Of course," the Goddess replied simply. "Any who come here can speak with the spirits of these Zanpakutō simply by touching their hilts, well if they allow it that is." A touch of mischief entered her gaze, "Why don't you try?"

Ichigo turned to look at the Zanpakutō at his side, scanning Hyōrinmaru's hilt his immediate thought was to say no, it wouldn't be right for him to barge in... but his curiosity was overwhelming.

Receiving an encouraging look from both Amaterasu and Ichibē his hand slowly rose; tentatively reaching for the light blue hilt as if it would bite him, but when nothing happened on contact he breathed a sigh of relief.

And then suddenly everything was really cold.

* * *

Well, it was pretty obvious it had worked if the three feet of snow and raging blizzard he now found himself in was anything to go by. Why did he pick Hyōrinmaru again? Couldn't he have gone for one a little warmer?

Feeling a slight shift in the air Ichigo noticed two glowing red dots racing through the blizzard towards him; then, faster than he could blink a Dragon was upon him.

"Hyōrinmaru?" He questioned, feeling great relief when the freezing winds lessened their assault on his body. The Dragon who Ichigo assumed was his friend's partner had curled its long, icy body around his perimeter, shielding him from the frigid storm.

" _Ichigo Kurosaki,_ " he replied simply, his voice as rough and heavy as you'd expect from a Dragon. " _Of all the visitors I considered getting eventually, you were not one of them._ "

Ichigo's lips twisted with mirth. "Yeah, I could say the same thing. It was kind of spontaneous."

Hyōrinmaru nodded his large head, " _I've been observing._ "

That kind of took Ichigo by surprise, though when he thought about it he supposed it made sense. That blade was technically Hyōrinmaru's physical body; it would be weirder if he couldn't see what was going on around him.

"So, hows Tōshirō been?" He asked, letting his mind fall from the pointless thoughts.

" _Well. Although he refuses to admit it to his Lieutenant, he has missed your presence among the Soul Society._ "

Ichigo smiled. It made him happy to know he was missed, but there was another emotion twisting within his heart as well.

"How come no one came to visit me?" The question had blurted out before he even realized it was on his tongue. The warmth he'd felt from knowing he was missed was overtaken by the pain of being left all alone.

And, perhaps Hyōrinmaru sensed it too because it sounded as if the Dragons voice was ever so softer when he answered, though it all may have been part of his imagination. " _They were not able too. It was ruled by Central 46 that for Ichigo Kurosaki to have the peaceful life he deserved, all elements of the supernatural would be unable to contact him._ "

"What a load of shit," he grunted out, though he couldn't deny the weight which had been lifted from his shoulders, the feeling of endless relief to know that he hadn't been abandoned.

" _A sentiment shared by many of my wielders companions,_ " the Dragon spoke again at the comment Ichigo made, the slightest hint of amusement in its powerful voice.

But then seriousness returned. " _You shouldn't remain here too long or else_ _Tōshirō_ _will be suspicious of my stirred presence, I assume you want this visit kept a secret?_ "

Ichigo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I should probably go, Amaterasu and Ichibē are waiting for me." The large Dragon nodded at his words, "It was good meeting you, and don't worry, I'll be back in the Soul Society before you know it." He finished with a grin.

" _Of that, I have no doubt._ "

Assuming it was just like his own inner world Ichigo made to leave; however, just as his consciousness was being pulled away Hyōrinmaru left him with some odd parting words.

* * *

When his eyes snapped open again he was laying on the floor of the shrine-like building, Amaterasu was smiling down at him and Ichibē was too, though there was something else in his eyes, something knowing.

Standing straight once more he placed a curious hand on his chest and sucked in a deep breath, it wasn't perfect just yet but all of the sudden his breathing had become a lot easier.

"Well? How was it?" The Goddess asked excitedly.

Ichigo replied almost instantly, as if on auto-pilot, "It was interesting, I never thought I'd meet someone else Zanpakutō."

Amaterasu gave him a curious, slightly worried glance. Although outwardly he was with them, she could feel that his mind was stuck on something else. "Did something happen?"

Again his reply was instant, "nothing bad, it's just... something Hyōrinmaru said was a little odd."

Amaterasu's confused gaze deepened and Ichibē's knowing look turned awfully mischievous for the teens liking.

' _Your visit here has explained its rousing, and so I ask that you deal with it quickly. Its awakened presence spells only bad things for this world if left untamed._ '

"What did he say?" She pressed further, but Ichigo ignored the question. Instead, he turned towards the one blade she wished he had never come into contact with.

"What is that Zanpakutō's name?" He asked slowly, mechanically, almost as if in a trance.

Amaterasu looked as if she wanted to change the subject but Ichibē didn't let her. "Ikomikidomoe," he answered, moving to join Ichigo in front of it.

"Ikomikidomoe...?" He repeated, testing the words for himself, though, in the end, his head tilted slightly in confusion, something about the name didn't seem right. "How is it written?" He asked bluntly, having completely forgotten that they were in a shrine for Zanpakutō, an unlikely place for pen and paper.

Though apparently, that didn't matter, not even seconds after he'd posed the question Ichibē brought a glowing finger up and began writing in the air.

The more he looked it over the less it made sense. ' _The first part of its name just contains the repeated kanji for serpent and self, and the tomoe symbol at the end signifies eternity, or perhaps harmony..._ ' Ichigo mused, his brain wracking itself over the odd spelling. ' _So a serpent that devours itself in perfect harmony?_ ' It was an odd name to be sure. And then realization hit. ' _The Ouroboros?_ '

The teen's eyes narrowed. If the name was anything to go by – and it probably was considering how important names seemed to be to Shinigami – then, "this sword sounds stupidly overpowered."

Ichibē merely shrugged and let out a bark of laughter, "it might be, might not; we don't actually know anything about it or what it could do, it might be completely useless for all I know."

Rounding on the man with a wide-eyed incredulity he had to wonder if he'd heard that correctly. "How do you not know what it does?"

"Because of how it came to be, it's even more unique than the other six," Amaterasu said, finally coming back into the conversation, though she didn't sound happy about where it was leading. Seeing that Ichigo wasn't willing to drop it either she gave in and began to tell its story.

"Millennia ago, when the spiritual world had still not completely taken its current shape and during the dawning era of Hollows; their evolution was in a chaotic state. However, above all of the powerful Vasto Lorde coming into existence there stood one, a Hollow appropriately named as a ' _walking disaster with infinite evolution_ ' by the then King of Hueco Mundo, Baraggan Louisenbairn.

An intelligent creature that continued to evolve, possessing a torrent of reiryoku. It kept devouring everything in its way until one day it left Hueco Mundo and spread its influence towards the World of the Living and the reishi-enriched Soul Society.

Then, one day, something happened. At the end of its battle with the Shinigami, including a youthful Shigekuni Yamamoto, it ascended to the sky by trying to devour the Reiō but was defeated by the Monk and sealed by Ōetsu Nimaiya.

It was given the name _Ikomikidomoe._ "

' _What. The. Fuck._ ' He was stunned; frozen wide-eyed and stuck throwing his gaze between Amaterasu, Ichibē and the sword itself. "It tried to devour the Reiō?" He just needed to clarify that one bit.

"Yes, it nearly succeeded as well."

It was all so crazy to hear. "It was nicknamed as a walking disaster with infinite evolution and it nearly devoured the Soul King, how the hell can you say its completely useless?" He asked Ichibē this time, turning to face the man head-on, he merely shrugged again.

"We didn't know what to expect. It was the first time we'd tried to seal a living creature into an Asauchi, and it was at a time when the concept of a Zanpakutō was still fairly new. And to be fair, no one has ever felt even the slightest pulse of reiatsu from this blade since it was sealed."

Ichigo paused, mulling over the information presented to him. No matter how much he thought about it, however, he kept coming back to the same conclusion. The description of this Hollow- Ikomikidomoe, it was too similar to his dream. "I know you probably don't want to hear this," he began, looking towards Amaterasu, "but I think- no, I _know_ that this is the Zanpakutō which contacted me."

Even though she knew he was right, she really hadn't wanted to hear it.

"Though I don't know why it would contact me considering I'm currently powerless, there isn't much I could do for it."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Ichibē began, "while it's true that you utterly destroyed your soul with the final Getsuga Tenshō, its been slowly repairing this whole time. And, we've been helping that process along during your stay in Takamagahara."

Ichigo's eyes widened, "the food and the hot springs?"

Ichibē nodded approvingly. "The _White Bone Hell_ that sucks out all of the damaged blood and reiatsu in your body, and the _Blood Pond Hell_ that replenishes your blood. And, all that food you've been eating was made with the supercharged reishi found here in the Royal Realm. For the past week we've been doing some extreme healing on your body and soul and now your as clean as a whistle and brimming with more reiatsu than you'd ever know what to do with."

"So. What am I supposed to be doing right now then?" He asked simply.

"That's completely up to you, Ichigo-kun. Either we can go back to Takamagahara and go from there, or... you can grasp the hilt of Ikomikidomoe and see what happens. I will warn you that it is a great risk, none of us can even begin to guess what would happen if you go through with it."

Nodding slowly he turned to look at the sword once again; it was certainly beautiful, and its design did nothing to alleviate his suspicions of it being related to the Ouroboros.

It was an O-Katana, not quite as big as Kenpachi's Nodachi but big enough. The same was composed of many different blues, pinks and purples and looked like a galaxy hidden beneath the black tsuka. The tsuba was black as well and round in shape, however, it wasn't just a regular circle like that of Ryūjin Jakka's guard. At the top left side of the tsuba was an embossed depiction of the sun and in the bottom right the moon. Furthermore, encircling the whole thing was a snake, its long body coiling around both celestial objects; its head stopping right at the top and angled in just a way that it appeared to be looking right at him.

He hadn't even known his arm was moving before it was too late; his hand had wrapped securely around the hilt and his vision faded.

The silence in the room was broken by a long, resigned sigh from the Goddess of the Sun. "I trust you five will look after him?" She spoke solemnly to the Monk who had caught Ichigo before he could impact the floor.

His response was simple. "Of course."

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **My goodness, I don't know whats crazier; the fact that we're already back at five-hundred favourites and seven-hundred follows or that fact that the first two chapters of the re-write equal over thirty-thousands words; a good five-thousand more than the original two.**

 **So along with some quality of writing improvements we also see the first major changes to the story, and before I call it a wrap I'd like to comment on a couple things. Firstly, Ichigo's scars. I remember it being brought up in the original version and I know someone will want to comment on it in this version too so let me say it right now, I am not getting rid of his scars. This isn't some kiddy story where the world is all sunshine and rainbows, where the hero always pulls through and the good guys win overwhelmingly.**

 **This is a story where the actions of every character have real consequences, scars of battle are one such example. Asking me to take away Ichigo's scars is like telling me that all of his battles up until this point never meant anything. As I said in the chapter itself, they are proof of his struggles, evidence of the many enemies he's faced and triumphed over, they aren't going anywhere.**

 **Another small comment about the guards watching over Amaterasu's room, for those of you who didn't figure it out they are Senjumaru's Divine Soldiers.**

 **Okay now onto the major changes. You'll have noticed that the Zanpakutō shrine was no longer in Amaterasu's garden, and it never really should have been. That isn't me trying to discredit the value of Amaterasu's home, but honestly, a place that holds such legendary Zanpakutō shouldn't just be out in the back yard, so I moved it to the Royal Realm. It would make sense for** **Ichibē** **to watch over it as well as the head of the Royal Guard. We've already seen in the LN 'Can't fear your own world' that** **Ōetsu's** **original hiding place wasn't very good anyway.**

 **As for the blades themselves? I expanded on them as I should've from the very start. I'm not going to lie, the only reason the original version of this story had two special Zanpakutō was that I was being lazy, now I've corrected that. I know that to some of you seven total Zanpakutō still might not sound like a lot, and I thought of doing more, but I only had so many blades to work with and more so, it felt like having a 'special Zanpakutō' for every element and category I could think of kinda lessened the significance of it all. At least to me, it did.**

 **I feel like my choices were good though. Mirokumaru was a must because I love Senna. I definitely wanted to keep** **Ryūjin** **and** **Hyōrinmaru** **as ice and fire. Nejibana was the only water Zanpakutō I could find other than Harribel's Tiburon, but her blade isn't really a proper Zanpakutō so I didn't want to use it. And, Nejibana was perfect for the spot anyways. Tsuchinamazu, like Nejibana, was the only earth-based Zanpakutō I could find but it didn't matter, I thought it would be funny if Afro-san of all people had a legendary blade, I still do. Shiden, the last of the six isn't a canon Zanpakutō but it worked well for the spot.**

 **And finally, Ikomikidomoe. So there's it's backstory, none of it was made up by me. Thousands of years old and forged from an immensely powerful Hollow, one so strong that not even Baraggan could kill it with his power over time. He even named it as a 'walking disaster with infinite evolution.' I mean really, I can't be the only one who thinks that's cool as hell, right? It even tried to devour the Soul King! It's name references back to the Ouroboros and Celestial bodies, it could easily be the most broken sword in all of Bleach if you wanted it to be. It's just crazy.**

 **I will say this now though just so everyone knows, I am not going to be making Ichigo super powerful right away, as with the original story he will grow as he trains and fights. And, you'll understand more as the story re-progresses but Ikomikidomoe won't be a world breaker right out of the gate.**

 **One last thing before I call it a wrap; If you notice any odd errors like sentences being broken in weird spots than please let me know so I can fix them. I've been having an odd issue lately with the document formatting and it randomly breaking up my sentences. I don't know why it's doing it or how to fix it so all I can do is fix the errors as they come.**

 **Anyway, If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	3. Chapter 3

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 3 -

~ Karakura Town

It hadn't actually taken them a week to realize that something was once again amiss with Ichigo; that was just how long it took for them to snap and demand answers from the ever elusive shopkeeper. It took them a little longer than normal to realize since they were on summer break and as such didn't see each other daily at school; well that, and the fact that things were still a little awkward between the former Shinigami and his other friends, more specifically Ishida, Inoue, and Chad.

Although the situation wasn't as bad as when his powers were first lost, it still left much to be desired. This was, of course, their own fault for pushing _him_ of all people away, something they realized was incredibly stupid perhaps a little too late. Ichigo was the one person that more than anyone didn't need to be babied or pitied, and they had done just that.

Ever since becoming a Shinigami, he had faced countless enemies that outclassed him by no small margin, enemies that would make any lesser person turn tail and run in fear, he never did. He always took his beatings like a man, then trained excessively so that he would never lose to that person again. And, if by some chance there was an enemy which bested him more than once then he still wouldn't give up, he would just train even harder so that their next meeting would be the last.

He fought countless battles; one after another a new foe would appear, each stronger than the last, and with barely any rest in between he fought them all. And did he ever complain? Not once. Sure, there had been moments when his morale was low; when everything felt pointless and there was no reason to go on. He was only fifteen at the time for fuck sake, you couldn't have expected him to take everything in stride without hiccups, it just wasn't possible. But despite all that he never once whined about how unfair it all was; he just kept getting back up, kept a strong grip on his blade and fought.

He died. Actually died once just because he wanted to save a friend, and not even that was enough to rouse a complaint from him. In his eyes, his life was meaningless if he failed to protect someone. He felt pains and carried burdens that no one would wish on their worst enemies. He gave up quite literally a part of his soul to save them all, and he did it with a smile.

Through all of this, he had matured to a level far beyond any of his friends; not because he wanted to, but because he had to. If he wasn't able to keep maturing, to keep growing as a person, then he wouldn't have been able to survive it all. He was the last person who needed to be tiptoed around and yet they still did it. And now with their friend gone, they could only look back on it with deep regret.

Unsurprisingly, they were the only ones who hadn't actually realized how foolish they were being until it was too late. Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin certainly had, and while the three adults weren't hostile towards them, far from it, they weren't too eager to disclose any information on the whereabouts of their close friend and comrade either. Well not that they could've even if they wanted too; that was classified information of the highest level. His friends probably all just thought this was some sort of test to see if they would get their act together, which in a way it was, but the reality of the situation was that Urahara never had any intention of telling them from the start.

Something they were unfortunately about to find out.

Everyone had gathered at the Urahara Shop. Urahara and Isshin were sat on one side of the table; Tessai was knelt politely off to the side, his usual drink tray resting in his lap; and Yoruichi – surprisingly in her human form for once – was leaning up against the far wall with her arms crossed. Opposite of the four adults was a small group of teenagers led by Inoue, Ishida and Chad who as it was predetermined would be doing most of the talking. Sat behind them was Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Chizuru who learned of the supernatural during the battle with Aizen; most people would find it hard to believe, but after everything they'd experienced how could they deny it?

"Ah, it's so nice to have company!" The former Twelfth Division Captain started jovially, finally breaking the awkward silence and making an obvious attempt to prolong the situation to annoy the teens in front of him. "So? What can this handsome, humble shopkeeper do for you today?"

Ishida wasn't having any of it though. "Cut the crap Urahara, we want answers," he stated bluntly. "No matter how many times we've asked you three what's going on you continue to give us foolish and roundabout responses. Well enough is enough! Where is Kurosaki?!" Ishida commanded form his place on the floor, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

"Oh?" The man simply replied, voice dropping lower as he snapped his fan shut startling the teenagers. It was then that he tilted his hat back to reveal his normally hidden eyes, not even Chad, Inoue and Ishida had seen the usually over the top store owner like this many times, and they couldn't deny it was scary; a sentiment that the other teens who had yet to interact with this man before wholeheartedly agreed with. Gone was his carefree, nothing is ever wrong smile, now his mouth was set into a small frown and his eyes were hard.

"And if I refuse?" he asked, getting wide-eyed expressions from those before him. If he actually refused then there was nothing they could do, this wasn't a situation where they could force answers out, the three spiritually gifted teens present couldn't hope to best any of the four former Captains across from them.

"Please... Urahara-san," Chad spoke up, there was no point in answering his question, there was no what if, if they refused to talk then that was the end of it.

"We just want to know where Kurosaki-kun is... we were foolish to push him away like we did and still care for him deeply, we want to make things right between us but now he is gone and we don't know how to find him..." Inoue added this time, tears forming in her eyes, bringing sombre looks to all of the teens in the shop, they all just wished to know where Ichigo was.

The serious look vanished from Urahara's face after hearing that, however, it wasn't replaced by one of happiness instead by one of sadness. "I'm truly glad to hear that Inoue-san, but unfortunately, it hasn't ever been that we didn't _want_ to tell you, but that we _couldn't_ tell you. And I know none of you will wish to hear this, but even right now that is information I am not allowed to disclose to anyone."

Seeing that none of the teens knew what to say Isshin decided to speak up and voice his thoughts in hopes they would understand better, "Listen, kids, even though we aren't officially members of the Soul Society anymore doesn't mean we can just do whatever we want, whenever we want to. There is always someone whose orders you have to follow, that's just the way it is in the supernatural world." He stated sadly with a soft shake of his head.

"Does this have something to do with that Soul King which Aizen tried so hard to kill? He's the ruler of the Shinigami is he not?" Ishida asked.

"More or less," Yoruichi lied smoothly. It was a good guess, not quite right but close enough; it was the best they could give the kids anyways.

The Quincy merely nodded his head in understanding; he still felt like that wasn't all there is to it, but he also knew that they wouldn't be getting anything more on the subject.

It was Keigo who spoke up next, asking the one question that was on all of their minds, "is Ichigo alright?"

The reaction his question prompted from the four adults only served to worry them further. Simultaneously each of the former Captain's gained downcast expressions, a darkness swirling in their eyes that did not bode well for the young man they were asking about. None of them wanted to answer it, but they felt like it was the least they could do considering it was uncertain when- or even if they would ever see Ichigo again.

"No, he is not," the shopkeeper finally answered in a neutral tone, his hat once more tilting forwards to block his eyes from view. "Currently, Kurosaki-san is going through a test, however, this test is unlike anything he has ever faced before. It is not so simple as just to cut down an enemy this time, this is more than that. He needs to give up everything that he is, everything that makes him Ichigo Kurosaki the protector; he needs to throw all of that away and become the one thing that he hates. Only if he can do this will he succeed, if he cannot he will die."

Absolute silence was all that followed his response. Inoue and Ishida who had seen Ichigo when he'd lost control immediately thought back to that demonic transformation and grimaced. Chad and the others who hadn't seen it themselves couldn't fully understand, but they each knew of his inner Hollow and what it put him through thus they came to the same conclusion as the former two.

They assumed that he needed to become _that_ when in reality it had nothing to do with his Hollow. The one constant between them all, however, was the question why. Why was he being put through something so terrible, something that even if he succeeded in might change him forever?

 _If_ Ichigo came back alive, they would each have to accept the possibility that he might not come back the same person they once knew. It was a sobering reality.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Captain's Meeting Hall

The atmosphere was pretty relaxed in the meeting hall of the strongest Shinigami of the Seireitei, only a slight tension could be felt due to the subject of their current gathering. All thirteen Captains and their respective Lieutenants stood in silence, each one mulling over the latest information they had been given. The subject of such information, of course, being everyone's favourite substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, who even without his powers managed to find himself drawn into trouble. Well, to be fair they didn't actually know if he was in trouble or not right now, just that he was currently missing.

They had actually known about it for a week already but just hadn't made the official announcement until now due to lack of information. Suì-Fēng had just returned from speaking with those in Karakura Town and everyone present was eager to hear what she had learned, even if she herself was not so eager to tell it.

With a strong rap of his cane on the polished wooden floor, Yamamoto signalled the start of their meeting; the aged Commander wasted no time in getting down to business. "So, what did Isshin Kurosaki have to say in regards to the whereabouts of his son, Suì-Fēng-taichō?" He, like some of the other people present, gave the diminutive Captain a curious look when they noticed a light dusting of pink ease onto her cheeks.

She opened her mouth to speak but found that the words wouldn't come out, she really wasn't looking forward to this. Though when the Captain Commander opened one of his eyes and directed it's gaze toward her, she knew she could delay no longer. Sucking in a deep breath she temporarily swallowed her embarrassment and blurted everything out in one quick go. "He... he said that his son was a young teenager in the midst of mating season and was out on a journey to make him some grandchildren!" She felt even more heat rise to her cheeks when no one said anything in response, instead just choosing to stare at her.

The silence was finally broken by the boisterous laughter of Kyōraku which spurred a few more people to release a chuckle of their own; or at the very least smirk. "Always the eccentric one; that definitely sounds like Isshin to me, eh Yama-jii?"

Yamamoto's eyebrow twitched at the words, he was thinking more along the lines of pain in the ass. Isshin and Shunsui caused far too many headaches for the Captain Commander back when he was still part of the Gotei 13. He was a good man, a good Captain too, and he could be serious when the situation called for it; but more often than not Yamamoto was left questioning his sanity. "Indeed," he finally replied, "I hadn't expected anything helpful from Isshin though it didn't hurt to try. What of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin?

This time Suì-Fēng held no reservations about what she was about to say; in fact, they could actually see some sadistic glee in the depth of her eyes. "Urahara wasn't of any use either. He simply began rambling about unrelated topics until I put his head through a wall, he was still asleep when I left."

Everyone sweat dropped at that, they knew of her hatred for the man and with his eccentric personality, the second division Captain was bound to snap eventually. He would probably be alright... probably.

"And what of Yoruichi Shihōin?" He asked again, brow raising as her cheeks turned red again, the glow much stronger this time than before.

"Lady Yoruichi suggested that I assist Ichigo Kurosaki in his quest for making grandchildren..." she finished, her gaze locked on the floorboards which had gotten really interesting all of the sudden. Despite her cold appearance and frigid attitude, she was still a girl at heart. More so, Yoruichi had always been the one person who could tear down the walls around her heart with ease and so hearing something like that from her was too much.

Those who didn't know Isshin, Yoruichi and Urahara very well could only wonder if what Suì-Fēng was saying had actually happened. Although, considering that the elder Captains seemed to believe her they had no reason to doubt her either, no matter how ridiculous it all sounded.

Ukitake being the nice man that he was decided to save the girl from further attention and embarrassment. "I think it's safe to assume that Ichigo-kun isn't in any immediate danger," he cut in with a smile. He really liked the boy and enjoyed having conversations with him on the occasion that he would join Shunsui for tea. He'd already decided that when next the two met he would tell Ichigo the real purpose of the Shinigami Spirit Badge, he could only hope that the teen didn't hate him afterwards for lying about it.

"Yes, it's obvious that they know where he is, and they clearly have no intention of telling us," Tōshirō affirmed, earning nods from some of his peers.

With a gruff voice and his arms crossed Kensei cut in next, "so what's the big deal anyway? I think the kid has earned some peace and quiet away from everything after all he's done for us. We'll know when his powers come back, not like he could hide that monstrous reiatsu even if he wanted too." Ichigo was a fellow Visored and thus he cared for the kid as much as every other one of his family.

"That an' he can't mind his own damn business, soon as he caught wind of somthin' gone wrong he'd rush right back over here tryin' ta help," though he tried to keep a straight face while saying it, by the time Shinji had finished he had his usual Cheshire grin on. He hadn't meant anything negative by his comment and everyone knew it, that was just how Ichigo was.

"I agree that Ichigo Kurosaki should be allowed peace until his powers return, but the Central 46 has deemed it necessary that he be found as soon as possible," Yamamoto spoke with a sigh. He just knew that those old fools were up to something, something he feared would cause a big divide within the Seireitei.

If they somehow managed to enrage the boy enough Yamamoto was certain he would raise his blade against them; friendships or not, he was not one to allow others to control him against his will. And while that potential situation would be unfortunate, that wasn't what had the Captain Commander worried. No matter how strong Isshin's son was, he was still a few millennia too young to defeat Shigekuni Genryūsai Yamamoto.

No, what really bothered him about the situation was that he knew for a fact three-quarters of his Captain's and Lieutenants at the minimum would turn traitor if it meant choosing between him and the Central 46, that was just the kind of loyalty he brought forth from those around him. And that didn't include the remaining Visored in Karakura, along with the former Kidō Corps Commander, Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin and Isshin who's monstrous strength even Yamamoto recognized.

The Central 46 was walking a dangerous line.

Him being the Captain Commander meant that while he couldn't outright side with Ichigo Kurosaki, that didn't mean he wouldn't do whatever he could from the shadows. "They have assigned the Stealth Force to complete this task," he directed at Suì-Fēng.

She, of course, caught the hidden message in his eye, "I understand, Yamamoto-sōtaichō, I will assign those necessary for this mission," she stated professionally. Unfortunately, she just so happened to forget to mention that those she'd be assigning for this task would be her squads latest recruits; the ones who couldn't even fully conceal their reiatsu signatures yet. Plus, she already knew that the annoying shopkeeper would interfere with them. Suì-Fēng couldn't count how many times she'd gotten mission reports back from people saying that Karakura and the surrounding towns were haunted.

Obviously, she knew what the real cause was, but she didn't deem it necessary to disclose that information to her men. She found their scared looks amusing when she would tell them they had been assigned for a mission there.

The meeting continued on for a short while longer after the original subject had been discussed; the topics of discussion being much more mundane now such as finances and training, budget issues and the sort. So when Yamamoto finally struck the ground with his cane to signal the end of the meeting the rest of the room was unsurprisingly happy, a couple walked out, however, most used Shunpo to return to their divisions quicker.

Yamamoto himself took a leisurely stroll back toward his office after the meeting. Perhaps it was because he'd lived for so long already and thus his view of time was much different than other Shinigami, but he just didn't understand this younger generations obsessions with rushing around so much.

They were always so eager to get things done and move onto newer tasks, which he supposed wasn't really a bad thing but it was his belief that unless one stopped occasionally to just look around at the world around you and enjoy it for what it was, then no matter how much you accomplished in that life, you would still have missed out on something great.

Unfortunately though, as he reached his office doors he was forced to set aside his enjoyment from this peaceful time and get his mind back on the subject of work, he had some things to think about.

* * *

~ Unknown location

He awoke to the bitter smell of smoke filling his lungs and the crackling of fires all around him. At first, he assumed that maybe he was still in... the teen paused for a moment; he was just about to say someone's name, but now he couldn't remember it. Actually, he couldn't even remember why he was here for that matter, wherever _here_ was.

He had just been... once again Ichigo paused, what had he just been doing? ' _Fighting Aizen..?_ ' He thought uncertainly to himself.

Delving into his memories that was the first thing which came to mind, and the last thing he could remember, but it just didn't seem right. His fight against Aizen felt like such a long time ago, but he just couldn't remember anything else up until this point in time. It was as if a portion of his memories had just been cut out.

He brought an arm up to shield his eyes from the warm rays of the sun which bore down on him from above; the warmth helped to ease his mind and calm his nerves. He couldn't explain why but right now something felt terribly wrong.

Shifting his gaze down he noted that the uncomfortable surface he'd been unconscious on was a white stone slab; spiderweb-like cracks crawled outwards from where his body had lain just moments ago. He must've impacted the ground there which would explain why he had been unconscious. So had he been in a fight then? He couldn't say for sure. It sounded correct, but as with everything else in this situation, it just didn't feel right to him. Although since he had nothing else to go on that theory would have to do.

He glanced down once more; this time at himself, though only more confusion filled his mind as he took note of his current apparel. He was wearing the same torn up Shihakushō that he had on after the final confrontation with Aizen; actually, it was a little worse off than it was back then. It was another oddity that added to his growing confusion. With slightly narrowed eyes he pushed it to the back of his mind, he could think more on it later.

With a mental affirmation, he figured it was time to get some answers. Standing up he couldn't deny how good it felt to stretch his body; the sound of his bones popping back into their correct places was oddly satisfying.

Shifting his gaze forward, a frown eased its way back onto his face. The plan _was_ to get some answers, but as he scanned his surroundings, he realized that would be quite difficult as the smoke surrounding him was too thick to see anything more than a few feet away. With a grunt of annoyance, he made to walk forward, smokey or not he still needed to know what was going on.

He could only stare wide-eyed as he took a step; it was as if the world reacted to his movement. A strong gust of wind tore across the land as his leg pushed forward, taking with it the smoke that blinded him and allowing his eyes to fall onto the landscape surrounding him.

And, as the seconds passed his expression shifted into one of disbelief, unable to fully comprehend the scene before him.

It was the Seireitei, of that he was sure. Well, what was left of it at least. It had become nearly unrecognizable; every structure had been reduced to rubble and dust and the very ground the city laid upon had been uprooted and ripped apart with many large gashes having been cut into the land. What could've happened to cause something like this? Ichigo couldn't imagine an enemy that would be strong enough to reduce the Seireitei to _this_. Aizen perhaps, but the teen had defeated him already, right?

He blinked, and like curtains opening before a show or a filter being removed from a lens, everything became clear- the bodies became clear. You couldn't count them all if you tried, innumerable corpses belonging to unseated or low ranked Shinigami. He didn't recognize any of them, but that didn't make them any less important. Some of them were missing arms, some legs, and some a little of both. And, some of the more unfortunate people were barely held together at all.

The blood was everywhere; splattered over any walls that remained standing and dying the once white city streets red. He had seen some awful things during his time as a Shinigami, but this... this was a massacre.

His mind was just trying to keep up with what his eyes were showing him. The reality of it all was laid out clearly before him, but it was just so hard to believe. Mindlessly he stepped forward, then again, and again. He wasn't sure where he was going or why; he just felt compelled to walk forwards and so that's what he did.

The silence was deafening as he gazed out over the destruction around him. Every now and then he would hear a scream echoing in the distance, but couldn't be sure if it was real or just his minds way of telling him that this was all his fault. He knew he shouldn't think like that; that it wouldn't help anything, but he was unconscious right in the middle of this, with no recollection of what happened previously, what if it had been partly his fault?

Continuing forward he didn't know how long he had walked for; thirty minutes or a couple hours, it didn't matter, nothing changed no matter how many steps he took. Even as he closed in on the centre of the Shinigami city nothing changed, it was all destroyed; countless more bodies lay strewn over the rubble and blood died the earth red. The only movement he'd seen thus far were the various plumes of smoke billowing out from different sections of the land.

Then, a flash of red caught his eye, different from the endless pools of blood surrounding him. It almost looked like... "Renji?!" Ichigo yelled out, flash stepping over to where his friend lay in the rubble; the fact that he'd just used Shunpo when he was supposed to be powerless completely lost on him.

Scanning the fallen form of his good friend the teen's eyes could only close in a moment of silent sorrow. The bottom half of the Sixth Division Lieutenant was gone, bisected cleanly at the waist and his right arm was horribly mangled, resting at an awkward angle. His left while not as bad as the right still sported many cuts and gashes, and the broken remnants of Zabimaru hung loosely in his grip.

Ichigo couldn't look a the pained expression still etched onto his face for more than a few seconds without having to turn away, it was just too painful. "Who could have done this?" He whispered out on a shaky breath. He was about to step away, no longer able to stand the sight of his mutilated friend when a burning sensation filled his right hand.

Shifting his gaze downward, he was left shocked at seeing a Katana resting loosely within his grip; the blades immaculate surface gleamed almost hauntingly in the afternoon light. It's black, circular guard held a depiction of a snake encircling a moon and sun, and the black tsuka looked to be holding a small galaxy beneath its surface. This sword felt disturbingly familiar, yet he couldn't remember why.

He blinked once more and gasped sharply, nearly dropping the mysterious blade in the process. It was now covered in blood; the blade and the hilt, as well as his hand which held it. All the way up his arm and over his body was blood, the blood which he knew was not his own. And yet there were only fallen Shinigami around him, so why? The implications of it all make him want to scream; there was no way he could have done this!

He was brought from his stupor by his instincts which screamed at him to dodge, and so he did; just in the nick of time too. A blade narrowly missed his arm, cutting into his remaining Shihakushō instead. Glancing toward the attacker, he couldn't believe his eyes. Rukia stood opposite of him with pink eyes and puffy eyelids; it was clear to see how deeply she'd been crying. She couldn't even meet his gaze head-on, her sword just trembled lightly in her hands as fresh tears threatened to stain her cheeks.

"Ru- Rukia..?" He called out weakly, attempting to step towards her. The way she stood between him and Renji's body, it was almost as if she was protecting the fallen Shinigami from him, but why would she do that? It took only a second for his heart to shatter at the words she spoke.

"I always knew you were evil," she began in a low tone, struggling to keep her voice steady, it sounded as if she would break at any moment. "But this?!" She continued, weakly gesturing out over the land with her free arm. "Have your twisted delusions of Godhood really turned you into such a monster?! I don't know how you escaped Muken, and frankly, I don't care, but for you to come back and do this?! Look at all these men and woman! All good people with homes and families of their own! But now they're all dead! Slain by your hand!"

She was basically screaming at this point, her voice kept cracking, and tears were once more flowing freely. In truth, Ichigo felt a couple of his own pricking at the corners of his eyes, but she wasn't done yet. "And now, for your sick pleasure, you would even carve up the corpses of the deceased? Well, I won't let you!" And that was it, with an anguish-filled shriek she charged him.

Ichigo only realized what was happening after he felt her blade bite into his arm; since then he'd just been numbly sidestepping her swings. Occasionally he would deflect a blow with the mysterious sword held in his hand, though he wasn't focused on the fight at all.

It felt like he couldn't breathe; his heart was racing in his chest, and the blood pounded in his ears. He couldn't understand any of this. 'Dreams of being a God? Escaped from Muken? All these Shinigami dead by his hands?'

"Wha- what do you mean?!" He asked frantically, his sanity slowly slipping as his composure melted away, the current situation was overwhelming his reason. "It was Aizen who wanted-" he couldn't even finish as another sword screamed passed his head, dangerously close to separating it from his shoulders.

' _Byakuya?!_ ' He questioned mentally, looking towards the man now stood by Rukia. He could see the same loathing in his eyes that his sisters held.

"Do not speak Aizen's name so freely, Kurosaki," he spat with venom. "He was a great man that you took from us because of your perverse desires of Godhood. As soon as you got your hands on the Hōgyoku and merged it with yourself, you eliminated him because he had seen too much. A demon like you has no right to speak of him."

He wanted to object to the man's claims, so desperately he did, but as soon as he made to speak a terrifying burn erupted from the centre of his chest. He was almost too afraid to look down, but morbid curiosity won out in the end, and just as he'd stated there it was planted firmly in his chest. It almost seemed to be mocking him as it swirled with life. Mindlessly he rose a hand to touch it but was forced to retract sharply when the Hōgyoku burnt his finger on contact.

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Ichigo grimaced as he heard those three words from Byakuya, all too familiar and equally as terrifying as he remembered. With a quick flick of his wrist, Ichigo deflected Rukia's blade before flash stepping out of the path of Byakuya's Bankai. The tsunami of sakura petals crashed into the earth not even a second after he had moved.

Again he shifted to auto-pilot as he continued to dodge their attacks, his mind felt like it was shutting down. He wanted to scream, to cry, to pull his hair out in frustration. He just wanted to know what this all was and why it was happening. He was pulled from his thoughts as he once again narrowly missed death, a wave of yellow reiatsu surging past him forcing him to stop in his tracks.

"Che, almost got ya too," a rough voice called out to his left.

"Kenpachi?!" The teen called out at his sudden arrival. He stood in a seemingly lax position with his sword resting against his shoulder, though Ichigo knew better than to think he was vulnerable. It was odd seeing the man without his normally psychotic grin etched across his face; in fact, Kenpachi looked pissed right now, and it was directed right at him. Now despite his crazy, battle-loving personality, Kenpachi could be quite level-headed when the time called for it, perhaps he could ask the man what was going on before Byakuya and Rukia tried to behead him again.

"Kenpachi, why are you attacking me?! I'm not your enemy!" He shouted quickly, though his hopes were dashed when the man merely rose an incredulous brow at his words.

"Huh? Did you lose a couple screws down there in Muken? You come up here and trash the place, kill thousands of Shinigami, and then say you ain't the enemy?" Pausing briefly the man's usual grin returned in full. "I'm not usually one for sentimentality, getting revenge and all that crap, but even I can't let this go for nothin,' so I'm gonna have to kill ya, no hard feelings, eh?" He asked, though Ichigo could tell that Kenpachi couldn't actually care less about his feelings. The man was looking forward to cutting him down.

He could feel Rukia and Byakuya starting to close in once more, though at a much slower pace, and Kenpachi's eyes looked hungry for his blood. Ichigo hoped that the situation wouldn't get any worse, but it seemed that no God was currently listening to his prayers.

Soft swishes of Shunpo filled the air as he was surrounded by friends and comrades. Suì-Fēng, Tōshirō, Rangiku, Komamura, Kyōraku, Shinji, Kensei, the list went on, only getting worse when three more soft swished filled his ears.

He couldn't help the muffled sob which escaped him as he met gazes with his father and two mentors, all three of which held the same hate and disgust in their eyes as the others. The tears which pricked at his eyes earlier were coming on stronger now, blurring his vision which he couldn't say was a bad thing. Seeing his father look at him like that... it cut his heart deep.

No one moved in the clearing. The Shinigami made no effort to attack him just yet, and he certainly wasn't going to initiate the fight, they just stood there silently watching, waiting. Finally, the still was broken by another, more distinct sound of Shunpo cutting through the air, this one much stronger than the last. Ichigo could feel an immense reiatsu weighing down on him, and not even a moment later the Captain Commander blinked into existence before him.

"Jii-san," he spoke softly, though he wasn't sure why he had done so. Perhaps at this point he was hoping for someone, _anyone_ to tell him what the hell was going on. Then again, the old Commander would probably be the one to kill him; Ichigo knew he couldn't defeat the man, not even if he wanted too. Much to his surprise, however, the old man simply opened his eyes from their usual slits and met his gaze head-on.

Ichigo froze. It was so fast that he couldn't be sure if he'd even seen it in the first place, but it looked as if the old man had morphed into something else ever so briefly. It was like a static haze, one instant the Captain Commander was stood before him, and before the next instant could pass he shifted into a large mass of swirling black, vaguely human in shape but more monster than anything else; then further into a tall woman in a lavender robe with black hair and two straps covering her eyes; then back into the old Commander once again.

He blinked once, and again, but no matter how hard he stared, how much he tried to recall back to the odd glimpse he'd just seen, the Commander didn't change again.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," he started in a gruff voice, wrenching the teen from his apparent delusions. "I care little for how you escaped Muken; however, this atrocity cannot go unpunished. Unfortunately, prison will no longer suffice, only your death will be a suitable payment for all of the blood on your hands." He paused for a moment, giving Ichigo another questioning gaze. "So, what will you do? Will you fight in an attempt to preserve your life, or will you kneel and let us kill you?"

There was something in the way the old man had said those words that confused the teen. It wasn't mocking, as if he was daring the boy to fight only to fail and die, it was as if he was genuinely curious. So it rose the question, would Ichigo just let himself die? Or would he fight his friends and family to preserve his life that was being threatened by this cruel twist of fate."

He didn't know; no matter how much he thought about it he couldn't find the right answer. It was all just so messed up. Aizen was the one who had done these things, not him.

' _This all feels so real; no matter how many times I wish it was just a bad dream and bite the inside of my cheek, I won't wake up. The looks they're giving me, the hate and anger, it isn't fake, but why? Aizen was the evil one, not me,_ ' he asked himself, panic starting to set in and doubt clouded his mind. ' _It was Aizen, not me. It was Aizen, not me. It was Aizen, not me._ ' Even as he repeated this in his mind, he was starting to believe it less and less which each passing moment.

' _I defeated Aizen, and he was sealed away, so why did I wake up in the middle of this devastation with no previous_ _memory? Why do they all wish to kill me? Why are they telling me I did this? Why am I covered in all of this blood?_ ' Again his hand went to the Hōgyoku, ' _and why is this in my chest..._ '

' _No!_ ' He thought quickly, ' _it was Aizen, not me._ ' He felt another pulse from the Hōgyoku within his chest, and his mind grew hazy.

"Why do you hesitate, Ichigo?"

' _It was Aizen, not me._ '

"Just kill them like you did the rest of the Shinigami here."

' _Shut up. It was Aizen, not me._ '

"But look at all the blood covering you, you are so close to taking the throne..."

' _I said shut up! I didn't do this; it was Aizen!_ '

"Everything we've worked towards the past hundred years, two years in Muken was a small price to pay, wouldn't you agree? Now Ichigo, kill them! Then you can finally be God!"

That was the final straw for the teen. The emotions which had been steadily building inside him had reached their breaking point. Eyes filled with wild desperation he looked towards Yamamoto again, it felt as if his heart would burst through his chest at any second, this was all just so wrong. "It wasn't me! I- It was Aizen! I defeated him for you guys!" He yelled.

The old man gave him one more pitying look before closing his eyes again, not wishing to watch the scene play out anymore. Silently lifting his cane from the ground, he gave the signal to attack. Even as Ichigo continued to scream frantically, the various Shinigami merely drew their blades and charged him.

Ichigo wasn't sure when it had started to rain, but he wasn't really complaining either as it continued to fall on him from above, gradually getting heavier with each passing second. It was fitting; like the sky was weeping with him as his soul cried out in agony. He supposed that if there was one complaint he had, it was that no matter how much rain fell upon his form, soaking his clothes and freezing him to the core, the blood refused to wash away; not the blood of the thousands of Shinigami on his hands and not his own.

His body remained still as he withstood the assault, only jerking slightly every time one of their blades make contact with him. He was a protector; no matter how wrong all of this was, no matter how much it hurt, he wouldn't fight back.

Not as Shinji ran his blade through Ichigo's left shoulder, nearly severing it. Not as Tōshirō and Suì-Fēng each cut one of his legs deeply, nor when Kyōraku cut him across his chest, his blood arcing out in a gory display. Not as Rukia's blade nicked his cheek or as Byakuya's dragged along his back. No, he would not fight back.

Not even as his father ran his blade through the centre of his body did he fight back.

"Rot in hell you monster," Isshin whispered to his son with sadistic glee, their faces only an inch apart. Those words finally got a reaction out of the teen, his eyes widened briefly before his face set back into neutral indifference and his eyes went blank. Tears ran silently down his face as his body went limp and he slid off his father's sword, falling to the earth below with a sloppy thud.

Now he lay broken and bloody among the rubble, his body motionless; the only movement coming from the slow rise and fall of his chest, each breath further apart from the last. The mysterious Katana lay a few inches from his hand; he no longer had the strength to hold it.

His normally warm brown eyes which swam with life were now dull and unresponsive. He was mumbling to himself, though most of it was just him repeating the same phrase ' _it wasn't me_ ' over and over again, there were other words he spoke too, though they were too incoherent to make out. He was still crying; his tears came on stronger than ever through it was hard to tell with the rain beating on his prone form.

And then everything disappeared; all of the Seireitei was gone except for the surrounding few feet of rubble that he lay on leaving him in endless darkness. Although the clouds had vanished with the rest of the destroyed city, the rain still fell cruelly above him. The frigid water did well to deny him the sweet pull of nothingness, keeping him just lucid enough to feel the agony of his mind, body and soul but not enough to free him from his paralyzed state.

And the blood still wouldn't wash away.

Hearing the soft sound of broken stone scraping together, the teen lifted his blurry eyes to see who- or what was approaching him. With a couple of swift blinks, some clarity was returned to his vision allowing him to catch sight of the surprising figure now stood before him.

It was a tall woman with purple hair styled in a manner befitting a traditional royal princess; around her neck was a gold necklace with several strands hanging down from the front. Two dark purple sashes went around her cheeks, covering up both of her eyes in an x-shaped manner. She wore a light purple kimono with two dark sashes running up and down both edges, both of which are dark purple with an inlaid gold diamond design. The kimono is left open and loose to reveal her ample breasts. It's kept tied together by a pink obi with a flowery design in a ribbon.

The brief instant in which he'd seen her was enough; this was the woman who appeared during that moment of static haze.

" _Such a tragedy,_ " the woman spoke softly, her voice sultry and rich, underlined with something akin to arrogance; she knew who she was; that she was better than everyone else and she held herself proudly because of it. But there was something else, something unstable in her words the gave Ichigo pause; it birthed the sort of unease that made him start to question her sanity.

" _I've been alone for so long,_ " she continued, " _millennia as a Hollow devouring everything and many more sealed away as a tool with no partner. Countless days with nothing to do but meditate in darkness allowed me to reach a level of sanity and understanding far beyond any other Hollow alive, but alas that was more curse than blessing._

 _My newfound knowledge let me truly understand the nightmarish reality I lived; I would even go as far as to say I missed the days of madness; when my mind was filled with nothing but abhorrence at those who had sealed me. But then relief finally found me; that crippling loneliness slowly ate away at the sanity I had built, returning me to a being filled with nothing but hate._ " She paused, head tilting down to look at the prone boy. Although her eyes were covered, it felt like she was staring right through him.

" _And then you came along,_ " she hissed out, body tensing with frustration. " _I felt your presence like a slap to the face, my sanity returned to me and with it the memory of my cursed existence. At first, I wanted to devour you, as cruelly and painfully as I could, I wanted you to suffer even a fraction of what I did, but then I felt you and paused._

 _You were the first being in all my millennia of life to have resonated with my reiryoku, that realization alone cooled my anger and instead sparked hope, hope that I had finally found a partner, that I would finally be freed from my endless loneliness._ " She paused again, her tone shifting to one of amorous elation which caused the boy to tense slightly, a nervousness filling him from the deranged smile which graced her lips. " _And so I called out to you, with that wonderful dream I called you closer, and you came..._ "

Any nervousness born from her crooked grin washed away quickly, and all the sympathy he felt for her admittedly tragic sounding story vanished even faster. ' _That wonderful dream,_ ' those three words she had spoken roared continually throughout his head, acting like a trigger and returning the cut-out pieces of his memory. Ignoring the wounds on his body and giving a middle finger to the fact he should've died already, he rose up and lunged at the woman- Zanpakutō.

Coughing up a bit of blood he grabbed two fistfuls of her Kimono with a snarl, "you were the one who showed me that dream?!"

Snorting derisively at the boy she ignored the anger he was directing at her.

The softness of her hands as she made to pluck his from her Kimono would have been soothing if this was any other time; instead, the deceptively strong grip from her dainty hands felt like it would shatter his bones at any moment. He wasn't sure which pain was worse when she tossed him unsympathetically back down onto the rocky floor, the lingering ache in his hands or the wound on his back that had been gouged further open by a rock beneath him.

" _Yes, you came to me-_ " she continued again as if nothing had ever happened, " _-and it was so disappointing._ "

The condescending, contempt-filled gaze she held while watching him writhe in pain on the ground further egged on the hate he was feeling towards her. "What do you mean?" He asked tersely. Ichigo had never been overly prideful, but that had honestly pissed him off.

" _What do I mean?_ " She repeated haughtily, " _that I was disappointed when the one who finally resonated with me was no more than a baby still reliant on the milk from his mother's breast, of course._ " Enjoying the spark of anger which flared in his eyes the woman continued, " _A weak baby boy; weak of body, mind and soul; you are nothing but a pathetic poser who likes to play hero. You're worthless._ "

Ichigo bristled with fury. It was more than just pride, he had been called weak many times before, and it never mattered; but to be called worthless after everything he'd done, after every challenge he'd faced and persevered through, it infuriated him.

"Worthless..?" He refused to believe it. "I stormed the Seireitei, a supposedly impenetrable fortress after only being a Shinigami for a couple months, and only trained informally for ten days all to save Rukia, but I'm weak? I defeated two Lieutenants and arguably one of the strongest Captain's with only my Shikai, but I'm weak?! I learned Bankai in three days and stopped the Sōkyoku, the blade said to possess the strength of a million Zanpakutō with only my single one, and then went on to defeat another Captain with my newly acquired and untrained Bankai, but I'm weak?!"

Even though he was still heavily injured, Ichigo was almost yelling at this point and running short of breath.

"I stopped the leader of the Bount from destroying the Soul Society! I stopped Amagai and his Bakkōtō when he sealed the Zanpakutō's of every other Shinigami! I defeated Muramasa and stopped the Zanpakutō rebellion! I helped Tōshirō defeat his old friend Kusaka who had stolen the King's Seal and merged with its powers! I stormed Hell to save my little sister and cut the supposedly unbreakable chains that bind sinners, but I'm weak?!"

Ichigo just couldn't stop; it felt like he was finally getting all of his frustrations off his chest that had built up since becoming a Shinigami. It felt too good to stop, and so he kept yelling.

"I invaded Hueco Mundo to save Inoue; defeating the fifth Espada, Grimmjow, and the fourth Espada, Ulquiorra who had two releases! Then, without break, I went back to Karakura and confronted Aizen for the second time. I'll admit he bested me there, but I didn't let it deter me. I trained for three months in the Dangai, learned the final Getsuga Tenshō, and then once again without rest went to fight Aizen for the third time, and weakened him enough to where he could be sealed! Something that none of the other Captains could do! Not Jii-san, not Kyōraku, not Byakuya, Tōshirō, Urahara, Yoruichi, not even my Oyaji! I was the one who did it! Yet you call me weak?!"

Ichigo was out of breath and panting now, that was something he had wanted to say for so long, it felt like a weight had been on his shoulders the whole time and now he was finally free of it. The woman still stared at him blankly, like she hadn't just heard anything Ichigo just said, either that or just didn't care.

And then, just before the silence could drag on any longer, the woman huffed out a bit of mocking laughter. " _The weakest beings always bark the loudest._ "

Any frustration her continued taunting might have prompted was swallowed by a newfound nervousness and embarrassment. With a couple steps, the woman was right before him, slowly and gracefully she fell to her knees and crawled up his prone form. Both of her hands rested on his shoulders, the leverage of the position allowed her to continue looking down on him although he probably didn't care too much about that. She was not blind to the quick movement of his eyes that dropped ever so quickly to the tantalizing cleavage right before his face.

" _You speak of these accomplishments so passionately, but you didn't truly earn them. You were guided through them whilst holding the hands of your Quincy and Hollow powers. If not for them you wouldn't be here today, you would be dead at the hands of Renji Abarai or maybe Kenpachi Zaraki if you were lucky enough to make it that far._ "

Seeing that he was preparing to retort she placed a gentle finger on his lips to silence him. " _You are a naive and foolish boy. You lack instinct. It is as your Hollow always said, you try and fight with logic, but by doing so, you are fighting with a sheathed sword. Tell me, how can you defeat an enemy with a dull blade?_ " She paused, letting the question sink in. " _The answer is simple; you cannot._ "

The fact that she knew what his hollow said was completely lost on him for the moment, his mind was still pretty overwhelmed by the pain, though his thoughts were getting clearer once again.

"I.. did fight.. with instinct," he argued with bated breaths, though was ignored. The more he thought about it, the more the realization hit him. Sure, he had moments where he used his instinct, and in those moments he dominated whatever fight he was in, but for the most part he ignored them because he was scared to become like his hollow, and in the end it that fear was the reason why his hollow always had to take over and save him.

The woman gave a melodic hum of thought before speaking again, " _You fought with instinct? Then tell me, even though you could tell something was wrong from the beginning, even though deep down you knew that world you were in wasn't real, why did you let them attack you without fighting back?_ "

Ichigo's eyes widened briefly once again, ' _She's right, why did I let them attack me? I knew deep down it wasn't real, yet I let them almost kill me because they looked like my friends and close allies,_ ' he knew the answer, "I couldn't bring myself to attack them."

She let out a deep, almost sad sigh at his answer, " _and that is why you are weak, Ichigo Kurosaki._ "

' _Shit.._ '

' _Was I really always so weak?_ '

' _I wonder, would I really have made it so far without old man Zangetsu and my_ _H_ _ollow?_ '

Looking back on everything now, he couldn't help but accept that the answer was probably no. His thoughts were interrupted when he started coughing up blood once more. ' _Shit, once again I'm about to die, only my hollow isn't here to save me this time. Maybe it's because I really was too naive, but I never thought I would die so young; shit, I don't want to die yet,_ ' he thought, grimacing to himself as fresh tears started coming to his eyes once more.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a light shaking above him. Seeing the woman giggling to herself he tensed under her hands, her hands which now rested at the base of his neck. His heart rate soared with dread as her fingernails dragged along his skin.

" _Ah..._ " she sighed out dreamily, " _I love that despair in your eyes._ " Letting her head fall forwards a little more her long, snake-like tongue dashed out and lifted a stray tear from his cheek. " _Perhaps I should devour you after all, hm?_ " She added, her hands coiling around his throat and tightening ever so slightly. Feeling the heightened pulse in his neck, she smirked, though it faded again quickly when a movement behind the teen caught her eye. " _Although, I don't suppose he would like that very much._ "

Any confusion Ichigo had was shattered by the all too familiar voice which cut through the darkness. " **Man you look pathetic.** "

Shifting his head back, his brown eyes which had turned dull and lifeless sparked with newfound energy when his gaze met that oh so familiar gold on black. "Zangetsu..?" He muttered out in a daze, completely oblivious to the weight which disappeared from atop his body.

He couldn't keep the look of absolute incredulity off his face when the scenery shifted around them, once more putting him in that all too familiar world of sideways skyscrapers.

* * *

~ Royal Realm, Ichibē's Palace

"The kid's dead already? It hasn't even been a day since he entered that demons world." A new voice spoke up, stood beside the head of the Royal Guard who had been overlooking the teens now lifeless body. "I had high hopes too. I thought that if anyone could tame that blade, it would be Ichigo Kurosaki." When he received no answer from his bald companion, the newcomer sent him a suspicious glance. "Did you know this would happen?"

"It was a possibility," Ichibē finally answered, a deep sigh escaping him.

"I doubt Amaterasu knew of that possibility, or else she would've never let him try."

"Hm, I wouldn't be so sure, she can be a terribly shrewd woman, you know that Ōetsu."

Ichibē was right, he did know. The Goddess of the Sun could be downright frightening at times. "Was this really the best option? You fought it, and I forged it into a sword, no one knows better than us what sort of monster it was- could've still been." He asked, expression shifting into something more sombre.

The bald monk shrugged at the Sword God's question, choosing to hold his tongue for a moment; then he smirked. "You know of Ichigo's heritage just as I do, his potential, can you imagine that mixed with Ikomikidomoe?" He said, smirking further when he noticed Ōetsu grimace at the thought. It was a truly frightening idea.

"But to answer your question, yes. It was always worth a shot if it meant making a monster out of Ichigo." He finished, ignoring the dark look Ōetsu shot him. He knew of the dislike his fellow Zero Division members held for his often cruel methods, but he didn't care. He job was to maintain the balance of the world; if that meant making a monster out of an innocent kid to do it, then so be it.

With one more glance at the kid's body, Ichibē turned on his heel and began to walk out, though not without one more comment over his shoulder. "Well, that and Ikomikidomoe was probably the only thing that would've been able to protect him from one day taking the throne of the Soul King. Yhwach will come for his other half one day." And with that piece said, the man walked from the room laughing heartily.

Ōetsu just glared darkly at the lifeless corpse. ' _You dodged a real bullet go-Ichi._ '

* * *

~ Current time, outside the Urahara Shop

The small group stood outside the Urahara shop couldn't decide if their visit had been a positive or negative one. The original goal was to gather information on their seemingly missing friend, and while that had been accomplished – to an extent – it wasn't at all what they'd hoped for; it left them all with sombre atmosphere hanging above their heads.

All they knew for sure was that Ichigo had once again been dragged into something supernatural that dealt with the most important figure of their universe – as far as their knowledge went – the Soul King. It also meant that they could do nothing but sit back and wait for his return; they couldn't just charge into the home of the Soul King and demand to speak with him.

And so they would wait for his return, then give him hell for leaving so suddenly without a word when he did. Even if he could say where he was going or why; a heads up would have been appreciated. Well, it wasn't like they were worried anyway; even if the man with the striped hat said there was a chance he might not come back, they just couldn't believe it. Ichigo's friends – especially the ones who had gotten to fight alongside him – just couldn't accept it. To them, Ichigo was someone who just couldn't lose; he always accomplished what he set out to do.

If only they knew.

"I hope Kurosaki-kun is okay, I know he's strong, but with what Urahara-san said I can't help but worry still," the soft-spoken girl said, her hands clasped in front of her chest as if praying for his safe return.

Tatsuki gave her a sideways glance; she knew of her bubbly friends near obsessive levels of affection for her childhood friend, and she was rooting for Orihime, but she also knew that the chances were slim. Even after all they'd been through together, Ichigo had never shown any outward signs of affection for the girl that equalled more than just a friend. And, more so, she knew that despite the front he liked to put up, he wasn't oblivious. She'd be willing to bet that Ichigo knew of the auburn-haired girl's affection towards him.

He had been too busy during his time as a Shinigami to even consider such things; hell, he barely even came to school most the time because he was too busy saving the world. There may have been a chance considering he'd lost his powers, but from what Tatsuki had heard, Orihime, Chad and Ishida had been slowly pushing him away for a while; not intentionally of course, but the reality of the situation couldn't be forgotten. As much as she hated to say it, in her opinion, that would've killed any chance of a relationship happening between the two.

But telling Orihime that would crush her, and so she kept quiet. She would just silently hope that her friend would move on. ' _Even though that's unlikely,_ ' she mused with a snort.

"Tatsuki-chan?" Inoue said, directing a questioning gaze towards the girl.

She merely shook her head to dismiss it. It was obvious that Orihime wanted to ask something else, but luckily she was saved by the bell. Or in this case, rolling thunder.

The group of teens shifted their gazes upwards at the sound; what had been a beautiful, sunny day was now taking a sharp downturn. Off in the distance dark grey clouds were creeping forward, bringing with them deep grumblings of thunder and a guarantee of rain.

Tatsuki let out a noise of surprise at the sight. While storms in summer weren't too odd, those clouds gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "That looks pretty nasty," she said, turning to her friends who were still eyeing the clouds, "maybe we should all head home, it doesn't look like it'll take too long to reach us."

Her comment earned some moans of displeasure from the group, though everyone relented in the end. It wouldn't do well to get caught out in the rain.

"I agree, I need to return to my training anyways. It would be the height of humiliation if Kurosaki regained his powers and was still stronger than me." The bespectacled Quincy joked with a smirk, an expression some of the others mimicked. He would never call Ichigo his friend out loud, but rival certainly wasn't out of the question.

That seemed to bring a smile to the healer's face again. "You're right! I can't slack off either. We need to be ready to help Kurosaki-kun if another bad guy ever appears, right Sado-kun?" She asked, directing a confident smile towards the gentle giant.

He merely gave a grunt of affirmation and a thumbs up towards her words, but it was enough.

Thus, with convictions renewed the group bid farewell and broke off into separate directions. Tatsuki and Inoue went one way; Keigo, Mizuiro and Chizuru went another as they all lived in the same area; and finally, Ishida and Chad were together. The duo wouldn't be together for long since Ishida's house was quite far off – it being a mansion and all that – but they could walk together for a few blocks at least.

* * *

~ Karakura Town, Soccer Field

Karin had always been spiritually gifted; much more than she let on at least. She'd just never had any interest in joining the world or spirits herself, especially after seeing how much of a hassle it was for her older brother. It was a headache she just didn't want to deal with, not yet at least. As such, she pretended that she couldn't see anything and thankfully she'd gotten quite good at it. So good in fact that not even ghosts could tell whether she could truly perceive them or not.

But no matter how much she trained herself to ignore the supernatural, there were some things she just couldn't escape. She would get feelings every now and then; like goosebumps or a tingle down her spine whenever something from that world was approaching her, especially if that something was negative in nature. So when the low growl of thunder echoed off in the distance, and some very ominous looking clouds started rolling in, the girl figured it would be best to call it for the day and head home. Her friends may not have liked it, but if they could feel what she did, then they would understand.

* * *

~ Karakura Town, Random Street

Although the third and final Kurosaki child wasn't as spiritually aware as her two siblings – only able to sense the presence of a ghost of they were nearby and at most seeing a blur – she too decided that it would be best to return home as soon as possible once noticing the storm fast approaching. No, she couldn't feel the dark foreboding feeling that the clouds gave off, she was just terrified of storms.

Thankfully she'd already finished grocery shopping and was nearly home. As always Yuzu wished this would be the day in which her beloved Onii-chan finally came home. She and her sister had been given a brief rundown of supernatural, though there was still a lot she didn't understand, all she knew was that Ichigo had once again been drawn into it.

She just wished he could just go back to being a normal human again. The fact that he'd risked his life so many times didn't sit well with her. It was a selfish way to think, of course, but she didn't care; to her, her bothers safety was most important. She didn't even want to think about what they'd do if they ever lost him. She and her sister may have been getting older, but that didn't mean there would ever be a day which the two of them wouldn't want him around anymore.

* * *

~ Takamagahara

The higher planes of Heaven, home to the Shinto Trinity and a vast amount of the worlds Kyuubi population was a beautiful place. Vibrant flowers and rolling hills, clear water and dense forests. It never rained or snowed, though sometimes there would be clouds if the Goddess of the Sun wasn't in the best of moods, it was without question always sunny and warm, just how the Kyuubi liked it. Most didn't even know what rain was like, only hearing about it from the elders who had gone to the human world.

So when one afternoon the temperature fell, dark clouds blanketing the sky, blocking out the sun's warmth and casting an ominous shadow over the higher planes, the Kyuubi knew something terrible had happened, and their Goddess was grieving. It took only a few moments for the first loud claps of thunder to roll across the sky; shortly after, the clouds which had been holding in a great weight gave in, letting the first drops in recorded history fall on Takamagahara.

Although calling it a simple rain would be a great injustice as it fell over the land with a roar; heavy drops falling in such magnitude that every little fox hidden within their homes couldn't see out past their front yards.

If that wasn't bad enough, the normally gentle breeze had picked up and now ripped across the land, uprooting some of the older trees whose roots no longer held the strength they once had. The trees that were too sturdy to topple merely had all of their leaves forcefully plucked from their branches leaving them bare.

Yes, their heavenly mother was filled with anguish and grieving deeply.

* * *

~ Unknown Location

The God of the Moon, Tsukuyomi; and the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo had both felt the abrupt change in their sister. A little over two weeks ago the former Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki had been given passage to their home for a multitude of reasons, though none more so than the simple fact that Amaterasu wanted to meet him.

Ever since he was born their sister had been infatuated with him; not in a romantic sense of course, simply because of who he was and who he would grow to be. She would always tell them of how he would eventually become a great man who saved many, a true hero that you would read about in children's stories. And, from what the pair had heard of his incredible list of accomplishments thus far, they'd say he had.

It was a shame that he was forced to relinquish his powers to defeat Sōsuke Aizen; the Shinigami had once again let the Trinity down with their incompetence. But, they assumed that after a couple weeks in the Heavenly Planes his powers would return and all would be well again, how wrong they were.

Unfortunately, they couldn't be present during his arrival due to supernatural business, peace talks with other factions and all that. The relations between many groups had been deteriorating quickly as of late, and thus the Shinto were doing their best to keep everyone together. Another great spiritual war was not something anyone needed.

Tsukuyomi and Susanoo had both felt her mood brighten after their most recent departure; an elation in her heart that they didn't often feel. Obviously, the young Kurosaki had arrived safely, and he was everything she'd hoped he would be. Then, about a week later she shifted, anxiety, worry, and frustration coming to the forefront of her emotions.

It was supposed to be a simple visit. Ichigo would spend time with Amaterasu, regain his powers and they would all go from there, so what could have brought on these dark emotions? Had there been complications with the returning of his power? The brothers couldn't say.

However, they still had business to conduct with the Norse faction and couldn't just head back to check on her, no matter how much they wanted too. So, they would just need to trust that everything would turn out okay.

Unfortunately, that positive mindset didn't last long; not even a day could pass before they felt her spirit shatter and her soul began to weep. It was fortunate that Susanoo was so close with Odin for he let them leave to check on Amaterasu without much fare.

When they did return home, the sight they were met with was worse than imagined. A storm that would make even Susanoo proud had the circumstances been different was ravaging the place. This obviously wasn't good for the higher planes and the Kyuubi, therefore, using his own immense powers the God of Sea and Storms wrenched control of the tempest, calming the raging winds to a strong breeze and slowing the torrential downpour to a light sprinkle.

Upon entering their shared shrine, both of the male Gods felt their hearts break at the sight of their sister hunched over and weeping. Eyes bloodshot and glossy, shoulders shaking lightly as more droplets pooled at her feet. When their presence was noticed by the Goddess she rose from her throne, gracefully drifting over the floor and enveloped them in a hug.

* * *

~ Unknown Location, Ichigo's Fake Inner World

Pointing a disbelieving finger at himself, the inverted copy of Ichigo grinned wildly. " **So you finally figured it out huh? Thought I'd have to beat ya over the head with a sign that says 'I'M ZANGETSU' before you'd get it through that thick skull of yours.** "

Grinning at the smart-mouthed quip the teen just shrugged, "yeah well you didn't leave me with the best impression, not with the whole I'm gonna take over your sou-" he paused, once more coughing up blood, this time worse than the last.

" _You are in rough shape, Ichigo..._ " that all to familiar, deep, baritone voice called out over the empty city.

"Old man Zangetsu..." the teen breathed out, to see him again after so long, it brought comfort to him like not much else could. The regal man inclined his head, a downcast expression on his face.

" **Che, that's an understatement,** " Zangetsu cut in, his warped tone not holding its usual insanity.

Ichigo merely grimaced at his words, a look of dejection easing onto his features.

" _We wished to see how much you had grown in our time apart, the result wasn't as we'd hoped, but that's too be expected,_ " the old man said, directing a meaningful gaze towards Ichigo; it didn't take long for the meaning of his words to reach the former Shinigami.

Ichigo's eyes flew open, "that destroyed Seireitei was your doing?"

The old man nodded, " _we had help, but it was indeed our idea._ "

It didn't take a genius to figure out who that ' _help_ ' was; just the reminder of Ikomikidomoe caused his mood to sour.

Ossan noticed his reaction of course but chose to ignore it. " _I'm surprised the rain did not give it away, do you not remember my words?_ " He finished, lifting a hand to let the still falling droplets fill his palm.

' _Ichigo, I hate the rain. It rains in this world too. When you're upset, the skies grow cloudy. When you're sad, it rains. I can't stand it. I wonder if you can grasp, the terror of being rained on in this lonely world. To be able to hold back the rain, I'll give you everything I have. Should you place your trust in me, I won't let any rain fall on this world._ '

Of course he remembered. He would never forget. "I do, I was just overwhelmed, it didn't really register," he admitted, earning a nod from the old man. Glancing to his right, he realized what a sorry state his world was actually in. They were currently on the highest of the skyscrapers in his inner world, but the waterline was only an inch or so away from consuming it too.

"I really must've been depressing to watch these last few months," he joked, huffing out a laugh though it turned quickly into a painful cough.

" **No shit, leave it to you to get all bloodied up like this too. You're as useless as ever, King.** " Zangetsu grunted out, a distasteful sneer on his lips.

"Yeah, you don't need to remind me," Ichigo answered the jab duly, his voice once more returning to its state of melancholy.

" _We can't leave him like this,_ " the old man called out suddenly, directing that cryptic statement towards his fellow spirit.

Zangetsu just clicked his tongue in annoyance. " **I guess there's no helping it,** " he acceded; they couldn't exactly teach him all of their secrets if he couldn't move.

Ichigo couldn't even ask what the two had been talking about before his body stiffened, the phantom feeling of his mask resting on his skin causing him to tense. Quickly he brought a hand up to feel for it but was surprised when nothing was there. ' _Wait, I shouldn't have been able to move like that._ ' Jumping up into a seated position, his hand fell to his chest where his father's sword wound should have been, but... "I'm healed..?" He asked thoughtlessly, no small amount of confusion lacing his voice. Glancing up at Zangetsu, the spirits smug expression told him quite a lot.

" **What? You didn't forget about how I saved your ass back on top of Las Noches did ya? There ain't a single Hollow out there with better regeneration than me.** " He explained proudly, puffing his chest out.

" _You shouldn't be so hard on yourself._ " The old man cut in again, getting the direction of their conversation back on track. It was clear that his words were in response to Zangetsu's original claim that Ichigo was useless. " _It was our fault that we never taught you the secrets of battle. We didn't want to teach you; if we did than any chance any chance you may have had at a normal life would have been destroyed. You've been lucky to have survived this far in your current state, but that will no longer do._ "

The teen remained quiet, listening to the words of his wise spirit. He was curious as to what this 'truth of battle' was.

" _Tell me, Ichigo. Do you truly wish to throw away your peace for others once more? You were lucky the first time, but if you go down this path again there will be no getting out, only your death will free you from those burdens._ "

The teen paused at the tone in the old man's voice; there was a harshness in it that really engraved the reality of his words into Ichigo's mind. Ossan was right; if he chose to be a protector again, then his personal peace would be forever lost because he refused to sacrifice his powers again as he did against Aizen.

But even so, there was no hesitation in his heart. "I do. It feels like so long ago now that I protected my first soul from a Hollow, but from that moment I came to a realization. I was born to protect people Ossan, and I won't settle for anything less."

The man held Ichigo's resolute gaze for a moment before giving a resigned nod, " _very well,_ " he finally answered. He expected no less from Ichigo. " _Since that is your decision, Zangetsu and I will make sure you are prepared. No longer will we hold anything back from you Ichigo, so be ready. It is time for our final lesson. It is time for you to learn the art of killing._ "

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **God, I can't even begin to describe how much fun I had writing Ikomikidomoe in this chapter, it really has me excited for her future appearances. And, I'm happy to know that all of you seemed excited to learn more about her after the last chapter too.**

 **So, anyone that has read 'CFYOW' will know that Ikomikidomoe's appearance is certainly not a beautiful woman as it is in this story, but as you can tell, I took some liberties with her design. I actually pulled her design from somewhere else, so if you want to see an official sketch of her than look up 'Uro Zakuro,' she is the Zanpakutō spirit of the Eighth Kenpachi.**

 **I actually came across her design before I even knew about Ikomikidomoe, and I remember the first thing I thought after seeing her – other than she was beautiful** **–** **was that she reminded me of a snake. If you see the picture of her with her long tongue stuck out, then I'm sure you will understand what I mean.**

 **It wasn't long after I found Uro Zakuro that I learned of Ikomikidomoe, and I loved it enough to want to change this story so that Ichigo wielded Ikomikidomoe instead of** **Ryūjin** **Jakka. However, when Ikomikidomoe's abilities were finally revealed in the LN, I'll admit I was disappointed, but the name and origin of the sword were still too awesome to pass up on, so I took some creative liberties.**

 **When it came time for me to design Ikomikidomoe's new spirit, it felt almost like I'd had an epiphany. Immediately Uro Zakuro came to mind with her snake-like appearance, it matched perfectly with the snake references in Ikomikidomoe's name, that and I loved her personality. She is listed as being sadistic and crude, and deeply infatuated with her master, always finding an excuse to whirl her arms around him in a seductive manner.**

 **I thought that would be perfect because how often do you see Ichigo with a female Zanpakutō spirit that is very touchy-feely? Not very. It reminded me quickly of** **Kyōraku's** **relationship with his original spirit Sakuranosuke, we've seen images a couple times in the manga with her standing behind him, arms around his shoulders, or him laying down with his head in her lap.**

 **I love that relationship they share and thought it would be amazing if Ichigo could potentially share something similar with Ikomikidomoe.**

 **But anyway, that's enough of my rambling. I just wanted to give some insight into my decisions with Ikomikidomoe's design.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	4. Chapter 4

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 4 -

' _The art of killing..?!_ ' Those four words seemed almost too hard to comprehend at first. Ichigo had certainly heard the old man right, even as he shifted his gaze between the two of them, their expression remained grim, eyes unwavering.

' _They're being serious?_ ' He realized with a heavy heart, ' _but why?_ '

There was a soft fluttering of his cloak, and quiet footsteps as the old man approached the teen. " _I see that you are confused; however, my wisdom and fortitude have never led you astray, nor will it now. If you truly wish to protect, then you must learn to kill._ "

"I- I don't understand, Ossan... shouldn't it be the opposite?" He asked, voice shaky from his conflicted emotions.

A deep, dual-toned sigh filled the space the three were occupying bringing the teen's attention to the hard gaze of Zangetsu. " **Ichigo, why do you think I always dominated the opponents you couldn't defeat whenever I was forced to take over your body?** "

In response to the question, Ichigo quickly adopted a look of consideration, but no matter how much he considered it, he kept coming back to the same answer. "Because you were stronger than me?" He answered finally, drawing a frown from his inverted form.

" **And here I thought ya finally got it,** " Zangetsu sighed out, rolling his eyes at his wielders stupidity. " **You finally realized that the old man and I are Zangetsu, but that isn't all there is to it. What is Zangetsu, Ichigo?** "

' _What is Zangetsu?_ ' He repeated internally, ' _what kind of question is that? Zangetsu is the name of my Zanpakutō, but that can't be what he was asking, it's too simple._ ' Glancing back up to Zangetsu, the expecting look in his eye told Ichigo that yes, it wasn't that simple. ' _Okay, let's start from the top. With the exception of those seven blades that Amaterasu and_ _Ichibē_ _showed me; a Zanpakutō is born from a Shinigami's soul as the manifestation to their own unique reiatsu signature. So essentially, that would mean the Zanpakutō is the Shinigami..._ ' Ichigo huffed out a small laugh at the conclusion. It was pretty obvious now that he thought about it.

"Zangetsu is me," he answered with a grin, one that his Zanpakutō copied.

" **Exactly. And, since both the old man and I are you, that means we were only ever as strong as you were. As you grew, so did we. So once again that begs the question, why did I so easily defeat enemies that you couldn't handle?** "

"I don't know..." he answered slowly. Truthfully he felt like he did know, his mind was just blocking it because he probably wouldn't like the answer.

Zangetsu and the old man understood this too, of course, but that didn't change the fact that it needed to be said. " **It's because you never fought with the intent to kill. Byakuya, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, Aizen, hell, even me. You were so afraid of actually killing someone that you unconsciously hindered yourself, dulled your blade. You put restraints on your own power so you wouldn't accidentally overdo it and take someone's life.**

 **But I never had that problem. Whenever I took over your body, I did so with the intent of killing whoever it was that put you in that sorry state in the first place.** "

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed, that's what he was afraid of. There were many things buzzing through his head, many questions he wanted to ask, some positive, some not. All of that could wait for now though because over it all there was one question he needed the answer to. It had been poking at the back of his mind ever Aizen's name was spoken.

"If I had fought with the intent to kill my enemies from the very beginning and didn't hinder myself- if I had done that, would I have been able to defeat Aizen without the use of the final Getsuga Tenshō?" The words ' _would I still have had to lose you_ ' left unsaid but still heard just as clearly.

He got his answer when both spirits stayed quiet, neither willing to meet his gaze.

The old man was the first to actually reply. " _If you had fought with the intent to kill from the start,_ and _Zangetsu and I had never kept anything from you, then yes, I think you would have had a high chance of defeating him without that technique._ " Even now both spirits refused to utter the techniques name, they hated it and everything it stood for.

Ichigo nodded solemnly. It hurt to know that he'd lost Zangetsu and the old man because of his own naivete. "Is the reason Aizen was sealed and not killed also because I hindered myself?"

Thankfully this time the old man shook his head in the negative. " _It is doubtful, we believe that the_ _Hōgyoku_ _made him immortal- or something close to it. As powerful as that technique was, I think the Hōgyoku was still well beyond it._ "

It was comforting to hear, but the reality of the situation still outweighed that one positive. ' _No more. I won't mess up like that again. I never want to feel the loneliness I felt during those months without Zangetsu again._ '

"Ossan, Zangetsu..." he began softly, directing the words he was about to speak to both of them. "Even though Byakuya openly stated that he would hunt down Rukia and kill her, I still couldn't raise my blade with the intent to kill him. When Kokutō tried to kidnap Yuzu and Karin, succeeding in getting Yuzu and nearly binding her eternally to that infernal place in the process, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill.

When Grimmjow so effortlessly put his hand through Rukia's stomach, when I'd almost lost her again, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill." He paused for a moment, unable to stop the grimace from spreading as he heard himself talk. He really had been foolish.

"When Ulquiorra took Inoue, furthermore implying that they had done something to her, once again I couldn't raise my blade with the intent to kill him. Aizen wanted to sacrifice all of Karakura, my home and the thousands of people who inhabit it to create the Ōken, all so he could try and fulfill his dreams of Godhood. After all of that, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill.

It's because of all this that I barely managed to win, getting beaten and bloody in the process. Or I would just flat out lose, and in the case of Ulquiorra die, resulting in me needing to be saved by you two. This whole time I've shouted proudly that I'm a protector, but Ikomikidomoe was right, I'm just a kid who doesn't know anything," he continued dejectedly.

"I was too naive; I believed that I could stop everyone without killing them, I hoped that if I spared their lives than they would change and everyone could live peacefully. Honestly, I was just being really arrogant." Letting out a humourless chuckle the teen shifted his gaze upwards so he could look at the sky. "As grim as it may sound, I now understand that true peace is impossible. As long as people exist, as long as they have emotions there will be conflicting beliefs, those conflicting beliefs will lead to fights, and those fights will lead to death.

I know that I can't protect everyone and that I won't live forever... but while I am alive, I want to fight, so others don't have to. I want to carry those heavy burdens, to carry the pain and suffering of this world so that others don't have to.

Please Zangetsu, Ossan, teach me how to fight, to _kill_ , so that I may truly become a protector."

There was a brief moment of silence when both spirits looked hesitant to agree, even though that was the reason they'd been given another chance to manifest, it was still hard to go through with it. All they had ever wanted was to protect Ichigo, to teach him this now was doing the exact opposite.

Eventually, the old man nodded in acceptance, it was not something they could put off any longer. Ichigo had made his choice, and they would support it. " _Ichigo, even though I said this would be our final lesson, you already know how to fight, and deep down you have the honed instincts to kill. The art of killing is not something that can be taught with a blade, but instead, it is taught with the mind._

 _You already possess the knowledge on how to kill, as well as the knowledge to use all of our techniques that we never taught you. The only question remaining is will you be able to find it?_ "

' _I already have the knowledge?_ ' he repeated, although he was curious about these techniques the old man had mentioned, his mind was solely focused on the first thing he had said. It only registered in Ichigo's mind now, but he had mentioned it once earlier too. "What do you mean our final lesson, Ossan? Aren't you guys back for good now?"

The sorrow in his eyes told the teen everything he needed to know. " _Why do you think you survived for so long despite having such grievous wounds?_ "

Ichigo didn't have the answer. He'd never really thought about it, but being stabbed through the chest and loosing as much blood as he had would normally mean death, and yet the sweet pull of nothingness never claimed him.

" _You shouldn't be here right now, Ichigo. You were a breath away from giving out, but someone interfered. They froze you in time and space, set your soul into a state of stagnation so that you could survive._ "

Ichigo's brows scrunched together with confusion, "but that doesn't make sense, you shouldn't be able to die in your own soul; we fought for nearly three months during my time in the Dangai, and my energy never ran out, my life force never depleted despite my injuries."

The old man nodded, his mouth turning downwards into something grim. " _You are correct, but this isn't your inner world. Not completely at least. It is a fake born from the memories within your reiatsu, as are we._ " He continued, gesturing towards himself and Zangetsu with a wave of his arm.

He could see the small light of hope that had once more filled the teen's eyes shatter at the news, his face twisting into despair. " _We, as Zangetsu were destroyed when you used the final Getsuga Tenshō. We should have never appeared before you again. But, the same being that postponed your death also gathered the memories in your reiatsu and allowed us this final meeting._ "

' _No more. No more will I despair, nor will I mess up like that again. I never want to feel the loneliness I felt during those months without Zangetsu again._ ' Those were the words he had just earlier said to himself, but within seconds all of that resolve crumbled.

He had assumed that the old man and Zangetsu were back for good, but instead, he'd just have to say goodbye to them again? It was a tough pill to swallow.

"What's the point of all this then?" The teen finally asked, "if you guys aren't really here to stay that what am I supposed to do? I can't protect people as I used to with just reiryoku."

And it was a fair point. Its one thing to have reiryoku, but to actually use it you need to turn that power into something. Zangetsu was Ichigo's outlet for his power, but with Zangetsu no longer there...

" _There are options set out before you, Ichigo. Whether or not you chose to use them will be decided in the coming days._ "

" **Yeah, that crazy bitch might still want to be friends with ya if you sweet talk her a bit,** " Zangetsu continued, grinning sharply. The spirit wouldn't admit it out loud, but Ikomikidomoe gave even him the chills. He couldn't blame Ichigo for the death glare he was sending at the suggestion, Zangetsu wouldn't want to partner with her either.

" **Anyways, you can mope about that shit later, me and the old man ain't got all day here.** " That probably wasn't the best way of phrasing it the Zanpakutō spirit realized as he watched a flash of pain tear through Ichigo's eyes. Again, he wouldn't say it out loud, but the whole situation hurt him too.

Half of him may have been foreign, coming from a Hollow that had infected his mother. However, his other half, the Shinigami powers inherited from his father were a natural part of him. He was Ichigo just as Ichigo was He.

" **Or did you lose your resolve already?** " Zangetsu taunted further.

Ichigo smirked. There was still a touch of sadness in it, some frustration at the reminder of Ikomikidomoe, but he had to put it away for now. He had promised himself that he would change, was his resolve so weak? Of course not.

' _Abandon your fear; look forward; move forward and never stop; if you retreat you'll age! If you hesitate, you'll die!_ ' He would never forget those words, he would live by them for the rest of his life.

Jumping to his feet the teen stretched his body out, wincing slightly as it protested the movements. Zangetsu may have healed him, but that didn't take the stiffness away. Working one final crick out of his neck he directed a cocky grin towards his inner Hollow, "lose my resolve? You wish. I'd say it's about time I kicked your ass once and for all."

"So how are we going to do this?" He continued, shifting his eyes between the two spirits. The teen could only groan when both smirked at his question, pillars of reiatsu erupting at their feet, the old man's blue and Zangetsu's white tinted red.

" _ **Tensa Zangetsu,**_ " they both called out simultaneously, their over the top displays of power receding slowly around them. Zangetsu was wearing his usual white coat with tufts of fur around the collar and wrists, in his hand the white Tensa Zangetsu. The old man had reverted back into his younger form, still in his black cloak, though now he held the black version of the sword which he was so familiar with.

He could tell by the shifting of feet that they were preparing to attack, though unfortunately before he could ask about his own distinct lack of a sword to defend himself, Zangetsu flickered from view, only reappearing again when a few strands of his orange hair fluttered down before his eyes.

" _There is no more time for talk, all of the answers you seek can be found within our blades._ "

Before he could protest the cruel treatment, Tensa's black boot dug itself into his side, sending him shooting through one of the many tall buildings that made up his inner world. Although the impact had jarred him, he quickly regained his footing and leapt from the edge just as a white Getsuga Tenshō ripped through the sunken city.

With a grunt, he launched himself backwards, the black blade narrowly missing him again. ' _Okay, first thing first, I need a sword._ '

He could tell that the two of them were giving him a short time to figure things out, though with every passing minute the pace was picking up and with each slash or stab he dodged the gap in between was only getting more narrow. ' _Alright think, technically they died after the final Getsuga Tenshō and thus shouldn't be here, whoever saved me used the memories within my reiatsu to give them temporary life again, so that-_ '

Hissing out in pain the teen had to pause his train of thought, the frustrated aura surrounding him was palpable. He wasn't sure which of his two spirits had gotten him, but the distinct pinch of steel on his side told him all he needed to know.

"Dammit," he spat out. He needed to keep his concentration on the issue of not having a sword to defend himself with but at the same time, if he took his mind of the two spirits currently pursuing him for too long, then he'd pay for it with another wound.

' _If this mystery saviour can use the memories in my reiatsu to create life, then surely I can use them to recreate Zangetsu. I may not have it anymore, but my soul still remembers it._ " His left arm rose slightly, his hand tilted downwards and set in the rough shape it would be if he was holding a blade.

' _Remember. Remember the feeling, the weight, the sense of ease I felt whenever Zangetsu was in my hand._ ' The teen couldn't help but crack a smirk as he felt an all too familiar and welcoming weight in his grasp again.

" _Well done, Ichigo._ " The younger form of his Quincy powers called out, a pleased smile on his face that Zangetsu tried to match, though his smile was much more feral and menacing.

He knew what this meant, now that he could properly defend himself the manifestations of his soul would no longer hold back.

Gripping the black hilt strongly in his hand he shifted into a ready position, though before their battle could continue, he fell into a state of confusion. The self-satisfaction he'd felt at summoning the blade was swept away when he heard that same blade clatter to the floor at his feet.

Well, that was odd, he couldn't remember dropping it, but a quick glance toward the ground confirmed that yes, it was definitely laying there, his hand was still wrapped securely around its hilt and his arm followed... ' _Huh..?_ ' Lifting his left hand, he felt the bloody stump on his right side where his arm should have been, it took only a moment for a panicked scream to rip from his lips.

Shifting a blurry gaze towards the black blade held in his Quincy spirits hand, he could see the blood lifting off its surface into the water around them. With a blink, his spirit was gone, appearing a breath later in front of his face, seemingly frozen in time with his left arm cocked back.

" _You chose the path of a protector Ichigo, the path of pain and suffering for the sake of others, that's fine, but Zangetsu and I are going to make sure you are ready for it, even if we have to beat it into you until you are nothing but a mangled corpse._ " And his arm came forward, cracking painfully with the teen's face, lifting him from the ground and sending him crashing into another skyscraper.

He had blacked out for a second from the impact, coming back to just in enough time to throw his head to the side, the blade he had summoned stuck into the wall where his skull had just been, having been thrown by Tensa. He had to ignore the image of his dismembered arm floating causally down through the water as he made a grasp for his sword, bringing it in front of his body in just enough time to block the downward swing of Zangetsu's white blade.

The spirits grin widened ever so slightly before the world went white with a shout of, " **GETSUGA** ** **T**** ** **ENSH**** ** **Ō**** **!** "

Regaining his footing after being blasted through yet another building the teen quickly parried another quick slash from Tensa, letting off a silent Getsuga he spun quickly and met the downward, two-handed swing of Zangetsu with a loud clang.

He was partially successful, having access to only one arm meant that he couldn't compete with the raw physical strength of his Zanpakutō spirits. He could feel the force of every impact in the depths of his bones, the strain it put on his body wasn't helping the large wound he now sported from left shoulder to right hip either.

He had managed to negate some of the damage by releasing his own Getsuga Tenshō right before Zangetsu's had hit him, but it wasn't enough.

The teen's eyes widened slightly when one of Zangetsu's white hands parted from his sword's hilt, moving slowly towards the tip, smirk ever widening as he did so. ' _Shit, I can't get hit by another one of those so close again, it could kill me,_ ' he thought to himself, panic starting to set in as he felt the familiar buildup of energy along its edge.

And then he changed. With one steady breath in, then back out his mind calmed down. ' _I just need to trust my instincts,_ ' he mused, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

And trust them he did. Without warning, Ichigo's body lurched forward, and his head connected brutally with that of his white counterpart, temporarily dazing him, though Ichigo wasn't sure if it was so much the headbutt itself, or just the shock of him doing it in the first place. With a small twist and flick of his wrist, he removed the white Tensa Zangetsu from his path, dragging his blade deeply across his Hollow's chest and stomach, just barely ducking quick enough to avoid having his head removed from his shoulders by the cloaked Quincy.

He spun quickly on his heels, again forced to meet the two-handed smash from his opponent's black blade. Ichigo grimaced, this wasn't a fight, it was a slaughter, it was taking everything he had just to avoid being annihilated, and the window of safety was getting constantly smaller.

Seeing a flash in Tensa's eye, he had no time to react when Zangetsu repaid the wound in kind, giving the teen a matching gash across his back. His misfortune wasn't stopping there though, before he could blink, two more silent Getsuga's were slamming into him from the front and back, followed by another bone cracking kick to his ribs that sent him careening through the water into another building.

Jabbing his blade into the side of the demolished building for support, he glanced up at the spirits stood casually in the air above him, their expressions blank.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed when Zangetsu shot him another arrogant smirk, though he didn't need to question why; not even a moment later a white substance started bubbling from the wound on his chest, quickly vanishing again after learning his Hollow perfectly healed with not even a scar.

' _High-speed regeneration?_ ' The teen's tongue clicked in annoyance at the sight. He cast a sideways glance at his still missing arm and thought back to the words the old man had said when Zangetsu had healed him. ' _I already know how to use their powers, so I should be able to heal myself. And, since that pasty bastard was even able to regenerate my destroyed organs courtesy of Ulquiorra, then this arm should be a piece of cake._ '

With a small nod, the teen pressed of the destroyed building, quickly closing the distance between himself and his two spirits and letting the dance of blades continue. What felt like hours- but was really only minutes flew by as the three continued to clash, even though Ichigo had started on the aggressive, the tone of battle quickly flipped and he was once more being pressed.

He could feel it right away, both spirits were easily as strong as their combined form was during the Dangai training, probably more. They were moving at speeds and hitting with a strength that he just couldn't match.

Ever since this renewed clash had begun, the teen had yet to land any more hits on either of his two opponents, though their tallies had kept adding up on his body and it was slowly starting to take its toll. He'd always been ambidextrous, though he preferred his right, and with this onslaught of two-handed swings his left arm was exhausted, it was all he could do now just to simply deflect them away.

But, it hadn't been a complete waste of time with him only catching wounds either. He was slowly but surely starting to understand how his powers worked, and more so, he finally had a theory about high-speed regeneration.

He'd noticed it pretty quickly after their clash began, every time their swords connected he could feel something shift in the back of his mind. It felt as though he was becoming calmer and more level-headed with each blow, trusting his instinct and just letting his body flow during the heat of battle instead of overthinking things as he'd always used to do.

Everything just felt so clear now; like he'd had a blanket over his senses his whole life that was finally being removed.

" _Don't lose focus, Ichigo!_ " The younger version of his Quincy powers yelled out, their blades connecting again. " _You've yet to learn any of our techniques and your body is deteriorating quickly, you have no time to space out!_ "

The teen merely grunted in response as he watched another small piece of the black metal chip from his blade, pretty soon it would start to resemble Kenpachi's jagged Zanpakutō. He would admit that even with his calmer head, he had internally freaked out when he noticed his Tensa Zangetsu was breaking apart, but after thinking it over, it made sense. The blade was made from the memories within his reiatsu and technically didn't exist anymore; thus it was nowhere near as powerful or durable as it once was.

Ichigo broke the blade lock and jumped back, creating distance between himself and the two spirits. It looked as if they would immediately continue their assault again, but paused when they noticed something off about Ichigo, as such they decided to wait and see what he would do.

Ichigo meanwhile was ignoring everything, grateful that his spirits were giving him a moment of rest. For quite some time now he had been doing something he'd never had before, learning to actually control and use his reiatsu more efficiently than just pushing some into Zangetsu and firing off a Getsuga Tenshō. Of course, he was nowhere near able to fully control and suppress it, that would take a lot of training, but after much effort, he was now at least able to visualize it and somewhat move it around.

He had momentarily stumbled mid-battle when he'd first managed to visualize it, bearing witness to the near infinite mass of raging energy. It was astounding, and he'd finally understood why people used to always call him scary. It wasn't as if he'd ever seen another person's reiryoku reserves, but he just knew that his was abnormal. His stumble had earned him a fairly nasty gash on his leg, but it would be worth it if his theory was correct, if it was then he wouldn't be feeling it for much longer.

Reaching deep within his soul he felt for his powers and each of the aspects that made them up. The light blue representing his Quincy powers, the red representing his Hollow powers, and the – oddly enough – black that represented his own Shinigami powers. With his lack of control, he wasn't able to solely grab onto his Hollow powers, but he doubted it would do any harm if he grabbed a little extra, they were all his powers after all.

Deciding to test his theory out – hopefully without alerting his two opponents – he pushed the Hollow reiatsu into one of the nastier gashes that marred his back. He couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his lips at the slight tingle he felt around the wound before it was completely gone. "Heh, about damn time something went my way," he murmured to himself, oblivious to the curious looks being sent his way.

" **Ya think he's lost his mind?** " Zangetsu asked with a straight face, watching his wielder grin and mutter further to himself.

A half-hearted glare was his only response, though the younger Quincy spirit couldn't deny that Ichigo's behaviour was... odd, to say the least.

In hopes of giving the two a big surprise, Ichigo crudely shoved more of his Hollow reiatsu into the stub he used to call an arm, though when nothing happened, he could only frown. If his organs could be regenerated, then an arm should be possible too. Perhaps he needed better control over his reiatsu to do something so big? ' _No, that doesn't make sense, my control is terrible and yet the other wound healed; maybe I need to..._ ' and after only a few more seconds passed the same white substance that formed his mask exploded out from his stub of an arm.

It lasted a little longer than the cut on his back for obvious reasons, but when it did finally vanish, he couldn't hold back the sigh of relief at finally having his right arm back. He just continued to flex and stretch out his newly restored muscles, completely ignoring the looks of astonishment from his Zanpakutō. It was only the low whistle coming from Zangetsu that actually got him to shift his gaze up.

" **Well colour me impressed, I didn't think you'd learn how to regenerate your arm so fast.** "

"Good, you could do with a bit more colour," Ichigo joked with a smirk, earning a small frown from his Hollow though it didn't actually hold any malice, it was just good-natured banter.

" _I am curious as to how long you've been able to use high-speed regeneration, Ichigo. I would assume its been a while since you've already restored your arm, but at the same time it makes me wonder why you would let your injuries keep building if you could heal yourself._ "

Ichigo nodded at his words. "Well, I've had a theory on how it worked for a while now, I would've attempted it sooner, but I had trouble finding and separating my reiatsu, even now I couldn't do it completely," he explained, earning a pleased nod from his Quincy powers. "I actually just tried it for the first time on one of the wounds on my back, it worked pretty easily, so I figured next I'd go for my arm, but nothing happened when I tried pushing reiatsu to my arm as I did with the cut." The teen paused briefly, bringing his thoughts together.

"After thinking about it for a moment, I came to the realization that healing a limb is different than a slash or stab wound. With a cut, you're just stopping the blood and stitching the wounded flesh and muscle back together, but with a missing limb, there isn't anything to 'stitch together' so to speak. I realized that I needed to visualize my arm, remember how it felt to use the muscles as I pushed my Hollow reiatsu into the area," he finished.

" _As expected, your growth rate and ability to adapt were always astronomical, and now that you have access to all of our knowledge as well, I wouldn't be surprised if you were able to learn everything before our time was up._ " The younger version of his Quincy powers noted, shaking his head lightly in amazement.

"Well, I'm glad I know how to do it, but I feel exhausted," the teen huffed out, slightly hunched over. He'd just finished healing the rest of the wounds on his body while his two spirits mulled over his words, it had seriously taken a toll on him.

" **Of course you're tired, you didn't think high-speed regeneration would come without a cost, did ya? As you learn better control and precision healing regular wounds won't be so bad, limbs are worse as you just felt, but organs are especially tiring. It takes a lot of reiatsu to cheat death.** "

" _Indeed, however, since we are in a realm much similar to your inner world it is impossible for you to exhaust your reserves, you can take injuries and feel fatigue, but your reiryoku will not run out. So stand tall Ichigo!_ " He spoke further, his voice raised slightly as his sword rose before him, " _we are far from finished here._ "

* * *

~ Ichigo's fake inner world, two weeks later

It would be quite the stretch to call it his inner world as none of the original towers remained. It was just a submerged wasteland of debris and destroyed buildings. The harsh sounds of steel clashing, explosions and other various impacts that had plagued the world for the last couple weeks had temporarily stopped, the three combatants knew that the end was near.

Ichigo was slightly hunched over and panting; his hair had grown out a surprising amount in the two weeks spent fighting, it wasn't as long as his Dangai self, but it was significantly longer. Most of his clothing had been destroyed, leaving only scraps big enough to cover his modesty. He had no major wounds on his body as they could be healed immediately, only small cuts littered his form, little more than a nuisance and thus he left them alone to preserve energy.

His blade was missing its tip, and both the flat side and cutting edge were horribly jagged from all the strikes he'd intercepted over their long battle.

Oddly enough both of his spirits still had their full outfits, though they sported a few cuts and rips that exposed the many wounds they had acquired. Both of them were hunched over as well, each mimicking Ichigo's position while trying to regain some composure.

" **Shit... I really wish I had... high-speed regeneration right now,** " Zangetsu spoke out between breaths.

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at his words; he'd been curious as to why Zangetsu hadn't healed anymore of his wounds after first using the technique himself. Actually, now that he thought about it, with every new technique he grasped from their blades, the two spirits hadn't used them again. "I've been meaning to ask this, but why haven't you guys been using your techniques anymore?"

" _Hm? I thought you had figured that out already,_ " the manifestation of his Quincy powers questioned with a curious tone. " _As you know there were two purposes for this meeting; the first was to teach you the art of killing, something that we have yet to determine the success of; the second and less important reason was so that we could finally impart all of our knowledge into you. But, we are you, so really you're just taking back what was rightfully yours in the first place. As you regain the knowledge for all of the techniques you possess we are from that point on unable to use them anymore._ "

He nodded at the words; it made sense. Since a Zanpakutō is born from a Shinigami's soul then logically all of that Zanpakutō's techniques would rightfully belong to the Shinigami. However, Shinigami aren't ready to handle that much power right away, which is why they train and gradually over time are taught their own abilities again.

Ichigo had long since become strong enough to handle everything his powers had to teach him, which was why over the past two weeks he had learned everything without pause. While this was good because the abilities learned would certainly help him in his future battles, it was also sad because it meant with nothing left to teach, their final meeting was almost over.

It was time for Ichigo to show them that he'd understood the main purpose of their battle.

He gave one final sad nod before lifting his broken blade in front of himself, signalling that it was time to end it. Once each half of Zangetsu had risen their own blades in response Ichigo flickered from existence, the only proof he'd ever been there in the first place was the sound of his modified flash step echoing throughout the destroyed world.

Shunpo, which allows the user to move great speeds by covering vast distances in a single 'step,' and Sonído, a technique akin to the Shinigami's Shunpo which allows its user to temporarily vanish from a person's senses thus making it seem like teleportation. In just two weeks Ichigo had mastered both forms of movement, combined them together and then mastered that new form. It was nothing short of incredible.

So when both spirits blades shattered and blood arced out from their chests before they could even blink, they understood that it was done.

With one more burst of high pitched static filling the air Ichigo was stood before them again, his bloodied blade falling from his grasp. It felt as if time was moving in slow motion as it fell to the ground, both spirits falling to a knee as the blade pierced the stone. Immediately he was between the two of them, one of Zangetsu's hands in his left, one of the old man's in his right. He didn't care how sappy the gesture was. The two of them had been with him through everything; they were the reason he had succeeded so far; he wouldn't just leave them to fade away alone.

There was a brief flash of blue as the younger Quincy reverted back to his older form, the 'Bankai' having receded.

A tense few moments of silence passed, none of the three really knowing what to say. Zangetsu, while bothered by the current situation wasn't much for sappy statements and thus remained quiet, content to fade away in silence. The old man, however, looked troubled, and the teen was about to find out why.

" _Ichigo..._ " he began slowly, trying to find the right words for what he was about to say. " _I never wanted you to become an actual Shinigami, and it was for that reason that I did everything in my power to suppress your latent potential, going so far as to become your primary source of power in place of Zangetsu._ "

Although nothing was said, the old man heard Ichigo's unspoken question of ' _why?_ '

" _I wanted to keep you safe,_ " he answered solemnly, " _becoming a Shinigami would mean risking life and limb, always exposing yourself to numerous perils, you would writhe in pain, experience suffering, I couldn't allow you to become a Shinigami, doing so would mean I was throwing your life away._ "

Even as tears formed in the corners of his eyes, he couldn't help but crack a joke. "I bet you didn't think I'd be so stubborn about it, never caring about myself," he said with a smirk.

A smirk that the old man matched, a small chuckle reverberating within his chest. " _Indeed, as time passed you did become a Shinigami, you jumped at the chance, trained diligently, and in spite of experiencing your fair share of pain and suffering you continued down that path. All those times I saw you struggle and persevere I must admit it made my heart waiver, and before I knew it, instead of trying to impede your progress all I wanted to do was help you and watch you succeed._ " He continued, his voice starting to lose some of its sturdiness.

" _Ichigo, you have become strong, this entire time standing next to you I've watched proudly as you became a man, the pride I feel is indescribable, I can leave in peace knowing that you will stay safe and live on. I'm sorry that I've lied to you all this time._ "

The teen couldn't believe the ridiculousness of what he'd just heard, "Ossan, you don't have anything to apologize for," Ichigo started, finding it hard to keep speaking, he was doing he best not to break down, "You just said it yourself, you wanted to protect me, I could never hold that against you, either of you," he continued, throwing a look towards his hollow who met his gaze evenly.

Ichigo couldn't help the tears that started falling down his cheeks now, this was so much harder than after the final Getsuga Tenshō, at least back then there was hope that he would see them again, but now, to be here with them as they disappeared, forced to say goodbye, he couldn't hold it in.

His eyes widened as he noticed their forms starting to become transparent, their bodies becoming spirit particles. "It was just as you both said during the Dangai training, all you ever wanted to protect was me, and even though you won't be here with me physically, you will always be with me, because you are me, and I am Shinigami," he said first, looking between the two of them, "I am Hollow," he said this time meeting gazes with his white counterpart, "and, I am Quincy,' he said finally locking gazes with the old man, they both had surprised looks on their faces, his hollow more so then the old man.

Ichigo always expressed massive hate for his Hollow powers, so to hear him accept that he was part Hollow finally, it left Zangetsu with no regrets. The old man wasn't any less happy, although Ichigo hadn't even known he was part Quincy until recently, his Quincy powers had deceived him since their first meeting, so to know that after everything Ichigo would still accept him so easily, it would make his passing all the more peaceful.

The young man gave each of their hands a final squeeze as both of them fully vanished from view.

His knuckles went white as he held his fists together, their newfound emptiness almost too much to bear. His eyes were screwed tightly shut even as tears continued to run down his cheeks. The pain in his soul was almost unbearable, but he also felt a strong fire of determination as well, he had meant what he said earlier, no more would he waiver, no more would he hesitate, and no more would he despair.

He would allow himself this final moment though, so he stayed knelt there for who knows how long, silently letting out the cries of his soul until there were no more tears to shed and he had made as much peace with the reality of the situation as he could. He would miss them, terribly so, but they would always be with him until the day he died because they were his powers, they were him.

Clearing his head of the depressing thoughts he stood back up from his knees, stretching his body once before allowing his eyes to open themselves. The destroyed version of his inner world was gone, now he was back in that cold, black space, except this time there were small blue particles floating around his form and slowly drawing near him before disappearing on contact.

He could feel his reiatsu steadily rising with each particle that connected, immediately he understood, this was Zangetsu returning to him, becoming one with him again, one with his power. He could have sworn he heard faint whispers of ' _release the seals_ ' and ' _true power_ ' in the back of his mind as it rose higher, the ghostly sounds of shackles clinking together accompanying it.

He had long since learned not to brush such things off and thus immediately set out to explore the meaning of those words.

Although this realm he found himself in consisted of nothing but darkness, he still shut his eyes once more and concentrated on the nearly infinite pool of reiryoku swarming in his soul. Ichigo ignored what was on the surface; instead, he reached deeper. It was obvious that if he wanted to reach an answer to the odd whispers, then he would need to find the 'core' of his soul.

When he did find what he was looking for, it hadn't been what he was expecting, to say the least. A large broadsword made of reishi, nearly as long as he was tall floated in the air before him; two protrusions jutted out diagonally on either side form the sword's cross-guard which, alongside the handle, formed a shape that Ichigo would admit was reminiscent of the Quincy cross.

Unlike the normally blue reishi that the Quincy would draw on, however, this sword was golden, a far cry from the multitude of colours that used to represent him. Nevertheless, this blade obviously represented his true powers, when his Shinigami, Quincy and Hollow aspects were all working in harmony with one another.

Surrounding the golden sword were multiple glowing white links of chain, each one creaking in displeasure at the massive pressure they were barely succeeding in containing. And what a pressure it was, even from a distance he could feel an overwhelming force from the golden blade, the reiatsu billowing off of it looked like flames licking at the blackness surrounding him, he could see the atmosphere distorting around its form.

' _Amazing... this is what Ossan was talking about when he said most of my powers were sealed away?_ '

He took a tentative step forward, and the sword pulsed excitedly in reaction. He took another step, and once again it pulsed in anticipation, continuing to do so with every step until he was stood right before it. However, not even once he was stood next to it did it return to its former state, it just continued to pulse violently, desperately wishing to lose the chains that bound it.

Slowly his hand rose to grasp the hilt, and the response was immediate, a power which he hadn't felt in a long time flooded his body and threatened to consume his soul, he couldn't help but recoil in surprise. It was a mix of that dark, heavy and instinctual power he'd held on the roof of Los Noches when his hollowfied body utterly dominated Ulquiorra. And, it was partly the transcendent reiatsu he'd held after the Dangai training which allowed him to shatter mountains with a simple flick of his wrist.

He paused just as his hand was about to close around the hilt once more. It was a dangerous power, one that would hurt and kill a lot of innocent people should he be unable to properly control it. But, it was also a power he would need if he really wanted to go through with this. Aizen was nothing more than a nuisance to some of the beings which existed out there, and if Ichigo hoped to stand a chance against any of them then this was a power he would need, and more.

He sighed out as his eyes flicked back to the hilt which lay right below his hand, ' _Well, I did say that I wouldn't hesitate anymore,_ ' he thought wryly to himself before grasping the hilt once more and pulling.

The effect was immediate. He was once again thrust into the blackened world, though instead of the calm, endless darkness, now the world shook violently from the amount of reiatsu being forced from his body. Ichigo could actually see the blackness distorting around him from the sheer density of it. It was much like the first time he'd met Zangetsu, and he had to earn the right to wield his blade again.

Ichigo shook his head lightly and cleared his thoughts; this was no time to reminisce. He tried to rein in some of the surging energy, focusing every bit of his meagre reiatsu control for the task but it was no use.

Even as the teen tried to reach out and pull some of the energy back into the confines of his soul, it wouldn't slow. The reiatsu just continued to storm around him. The seconds ticked by, turning slowly to minutes, sweat poured from his brow and his face almost hurt from how tightly it was scrunched from concentration, but no matter how hard he tried nothing was changing.

' _Dammit! Why won't this stop?!_ ' He screamed internally, frustration and panic starting to rise within.

He wasn't sure if releasing such a level or reiatsu constantly was bad for him, but at the same time, it wasn't really his concern. No, he was more wary of the small distortions in the air around him which had been steadily growing as his dense reiatsu further burned the atmosphere. Now he was no expert on the subject, but he knew enough to say that if this continued, then a rip could potentially form in whatever dimension he was currently in, or worse, there could be permanent damage.

' _Alright calm down, getting pissed off isn't going to solve anything,_ ' he reasoned with himself, taking in a soothing breath as he sat cross-legged on the 'floor,' whatever this floor was.

' _Okay, the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one, and I can say with utmost certainty that I have no clue what's going on. I can't go to the Soul Society for help since they still think I'm powerless, and I can't be bothered to deal with the headache that'll come from blowing that secret right now._

 _I could go to Takamagahara, but I'd just damage that beautiful world in my current state. And not to mention, Amaterasu probably thinks I'm dead right now, so even if I survive this, she'll probably kill me just for making her worry so much. A mother's love can be a dangerous thing after all,_ ' he couldn't help but shudder at the thought.

He could maybe go to Geta Boshi's place, but that might put the humans in danger. The underground training room could hold in a massive amount of reiatsu, but the teen just didn't think it would work for him, and he definitely wasn't going to leave it to chance. He sighed out again in frustration, dragging a hand through his long and very dirty hair. The past couple weeks of constant fighting had left him in quite the messy state; a shower would certainly be necessary when he finally got back.

A couple more moments passed in silent contemplation, just mindlessly playing with a few strands of his hair, the world continuing to destabilize around him. He may not have appeared so on the outside, but inwardly he was still panicking. He just had no clue who to go to for help right now, and then it hit him.

He hadn't expected to visit him again so soon of course, but of all the places he could think of going, this one seemed like the best choice. He didn't doubt the Zanpakutō's knowledge for a second, Ichigo was certain that he would be able to help. Thankfully, the teen had been granted access to his world once before and as such would be able to enter it again with his newfound ability to manipulate the Schatten Bereich, one of the more useful abilities he had gotten from his Quincy powers if he was honest.

The old man had told him that most Quincy were unable to manipulate it as he could, and he should feel proud as it is far superior to the Shinigami's Senkaimon and the Hollow's Garganta. As long as he had been somewhere once, he could go there again; the only limitation would be whether or not there was a shadow in the nearby vicinity that he could emerge from.

Shifting into a kneeling position, Ichigo nearly flattened his left hand and placed it just above his foot, and with the other, he formed an unstable golden Cero. Since this world was so dark, normally shadows would be impossible, but through the light of the Cero on his tanned foot... "Ah hah!" he exclaimed proudly, grasping the small shadow which had just formed in his hand and pulling upwards, it was time to see if Tōshirō's Zanpakutō liked surprises.

* * *

" _I understand your impatience, but this is not something that you can rush Tōshirō,_ " the large dragon rumbled out, swirling endlessly around his wielder.

The tenth division Captain nodded solemnly, shifting his gaze to the snow covering his feet, a downcast look in his eyes at the words of his Zanpakutō.

He had always been alone; the other kids avoided him for reasons they couldn't quite explain. It was always the same reasons they would spout, ' _you give off a weird feeling_ ' or ' _we get the chills when you're around,_ ' which would always lead to ' _you're creepy, go away._ '

The only two people who treated him differently were Momo and his Obaa-san. He and Hinamori weren't always together, so she never felt any adverse effects from his presence, but his Obaa-san who took him in as a lost soul and cared for him wasn't so lucky. He had been hurting her for years due to his overflowing reiatsu, and he wasn't even aware of it.

He found out soon after that it was because he was born with no Zanpakutō. He was a cursed existence, destined to have his Saketsu and Hakusui destroyed due to the danger he posed to others.

But just when everything seemed it's bleakest, Hyōrinmaru came to him one night in his dreams, and he saved him.

The gratitude that Tōshirō felt for Hyōrinmaru was endless, and the Dragon of ice was the reason he trained as hard as he did, so he could fully wield his powers instead of the partial state he currently wielded them in. Most people assumed that his Bankai was just an extension of his Shikai, that it allowed him to summon and control more ice, but that wasn't true, he just couldn't handle Hyōrinmaru's true Bankai and thus his current, pseudo-Bankai was created.

He wanted to repay Hyōrinmaru for saving him all those years ago by finally wielding his true power, but his body was not mature enough yet to handle it, it was as the Dragon said, it was not something they could rush.

So instead he trained himself hellishly. If he could speed up his development even a little bit, then the pain of it all would be worth it. Yes, that had been the sole reason he trained, until a hot-headed young man had burst into their lives at least.

Tōshirō huffed out some laughter at the thought, ' _young man huh..?_ ' For all of Ichigo Kurosaki's maturity and power, even Tōshirō, the youngest Captain in all of Soul Society's history had him beat by a hundred years at least.

When you took a moment to reflect on everything that had happened in those near five months since he first burst into the Seireitei, you couldn't help but feel speechless. All of the trouble they'd dealt with while in the middle of a war with Aizen, and through it all Ichigo had been right there at the centre of it, fighting with them.

And then he sacrificed it all, his powers, a part of his soul, all to save them from an enemy they let deceive them for years. And then, to add salt to the wound, Tōshirō couldn't even thank him. He was rendered unconscious after the final clash and brought home, followed by an order that no one was allowed to contact him until he died and naturally came back to them.

"And now he's missing,' the Captain breathed out mirthlessly. Glancing up, Tōshirō was curious to see an almost troubled look in his Zanpakutō's eyes, but before he could question it, he was given instructions.

" _You must leave, for now._ " He said simply, his wielders form already starting to melt away as he ejected him from his world. Due to his unique existence, he and the other artificial Zanpakutō were given permission to speak a little of their origins, and where their true forms lay in the Royal Realm to their wielders, so he knew Tōshirō wouldn't object, he would just seek answers later if they could be given.

Mere seconds after he felt Tōshirō's presence completely fade, an immense reiatsu filled the air of his snowy world. It was a sight Hyōrinmaru had never seen, the seemingly endless blizzard that always spun in his world had come to a complete standstill, frozen in time with the supernatural pressure that weighed down on everything.

He watched patiently as a black shadow rose from the spot his wielder had just stood, ready and willing to strike down the intruder in his soul, though when the newcomer's appearance was made clear he lowered his guard again, simple curiosity taking over.

" _I hadn't expected to see you again so soon, Ichigo Kurosaki..._ "

* * *

~ Schatten Bereich

Upon stepping into the shadow realm, the teen couldn't help but scoff at the scenery. All he'd done was exchange one world of endless black for another. Ossan's knowledge of the technique didn't really tell him much about the shadows themselves, just that you were too keep walking until you reached your destination, something you would 'know' when you came upon it. It would open up automatically for you, utilizing the nearest shadow to your desired location.

It was essentially the Garganta but not as accurate. And even better was that in the shadow realm there was no reishi path you could fall off, that alone automatically made it his favourite method of dimensional travel.

After a couple more minutes of silent travel, the teen felt a very sharp drop in temperature signalling that he'd had reached his destination. When the shadow opened, and he was stood once again in the frozen oasis, he couldn't help but feel relief at the lack of a raging blizzard battering his form. Although Hyōrinmaru had done well to shield him the first time he hadn't negated it completely. And that wasn't to say that the storm had vanished now, no the teen could see it swirling wildly around them in the distance. It was just that the violent reiatsu overflowing from his body was forcefully keeping it at bay.

" _I hadn't expected to see you again so soon, Ichigo Kurosaki..._ " a deep voice called out, pulling the teen from his thoughts.

Said teen cracked a smirk at the Dragon's words, "yeah well... I ran into a bit of a complication," he admitted sourly, meeting Hyōrinmaru's curious gaze head-on.

The spirits large icy head tipped forwards in understanding, " _yes, I see you have been rejected by that monster, and now your reiatsu runs rampant._ "

"Wait, you know why I'm like this?!" Ichigo asked with wide eyes. He'd hoped that Hyōrinmaru would be able to help, but he didn't allow that hope to grow too strong for fear of disappointment, but now...

" _Of course. Your current state is the same as all of our wielders who are born without Zanpakutō before we bond with them._ " The Dragon paused shortly when Ichigo's eyes widened briefly, a sadness filling them at his words. As someone who lost their Zanpakutō, a part of their soul, he could somewhat understand what it would feel like for Tōshirō who was born without that part of his soul.

But that curse which brought many of souls great despair was also a blessing for those who could move past it. Shigekuni Yamamoto, the possessor of Ryūjin Jakka, and the strongest Shinigami born in the last thousand years was a perfect example of this. Though Hyōrinmaru being as old as he was, knew that a thousand years was a vast underestimation. He could quite honestly be the most powerful pure Shinigami ever born, only exceeded by Ichibē Hyōsube due to his unique abilities.

Shiden was the Zanpakutō of one of the original members of the Gotei 13 when they were simply known as 'Divisions.' Its power so fearsome that it could dwarf most of the current Captains with ease. Nejibana and Mirokumaru as well were remarkable blades with limitless potential; though unfortunately, both of their wielders met tragic ends before that potential could be realized. Tōshirō was well on his way to becoming one of the strongest Captains even despite his age. Once he is able to release Hyōrinmaru's true Bankai only the elder four would be able to top him, and that gap may not even last long once he is as able to master it.

Tsuchinamazu was a... unique case in that it wasted its own potential by choosing weak hosts, though Hyōrinmaru deemed that it was due to the spirits laziness. The weaker its master was, the less it would have to do while still being able to see the world and not just being cooped up in the Zanpakutō shrine.

The Dragon of ice didn't quite understand the mentality but to each their own.

" _And you came here in hopes of solving your current issue, is that correct?_ " Hyōrinmaru continued, pulling himself from his thoughts. The teen simply nodded.

" _When describing the workings of a soul, all one needs to remember is that it is a never ending cycle of absorption and expulsion. When in combat your rate of expulsion increases and thus the rate of absorption increases in response. The opposite is true when it comes to reiatsu suppression, as your rate of expulsion decreases the rate of absorption decreases to match it._

 _As you saw when Kisuke Urahara fought_ _Sōsuke_ _Aizen, when one's ability to expel reiatsu is completely sealed off pressure will build until your soul can no longer handle it and you will be incinerated by your own power from within._

 _It is for this reason that even those with masterful reiatsu control never completely seal off their soul even when trying to hide their presence, instead using the ever-present reiatsu in the atmosphere to cover them like a blanket and hide the minuscule amounts of reiatsu that they cannot safely suppress._ " The Dragon paused its sudden lecture to catch a breath, though seeing that Ichigo was eagerly following along he didn't wait too long before continuing.

" _A Shinigami's main form of combat is with their Zanpakutō, it is also their Zanpakutō that is used to channel the vast majority of their power. What I will now tell to you is the method the Shin'ō Academy uses to teach aspiring Shinigami the Zanpakutō's function within a soul. Imagine that your soul is a dam, with the water inside representing your reiryoku. Now, imagine that one of your dam's walls has a flood gate on it, this gate will represent your Zanpakutō._

 _When the gate is closed your Zanpakutō is in its sealed state; when you release Shikai your gate partially opens; and when you release Bankai your gate fully opens. Now tell me, what would happen should someone lose that gate altogether?_ "

He didn't even need to answer, he understood what Hyōrinmaru was getting at. It was a little off topic, and probably not appropriate given the situation, but Ichigo would admit that the Zanpakutō spirit was an excellent teacher.

He sighed out heavily, falling ungracefully onto a small rock behind him, further resting his elbows on his knees so that his head could sit in his hands. ' _What a pain..._ '

A few moments passed in contemplative silence. Ichigo was too focused on the subject at hand for much else, thankfully the Dragon seemed to be in no rush to kick him out which gave him more time to mull over what he already knew but didn't want to admit. "So, unless I get a new Zanpakutō to plug the dam so to speak Ill be stuck in a permanent Bankai like state and pose danger to those I want to protect just by being near them?" He affirmed, again he was just drawing out the inevitable.

Hyōrinmaru knew this of course, though he couldn't blame the child. The evil that called out to him was not like much other. " _Indeed, you have two options left before you, and it is a decision you cannot dwell on forever._ "

"I know..." he sighed out again. Either he tried to bond with _her_ again, or he would just have his power sealed once more and be forced to return to his powerless life in the human world. He really didn't want the latter, not after everything he'd been through, not after his final meeting with Zangetsu and the promise he'd made to them.

' _What happened to my resolve?!_ ' He couldn't help but shout in his soul. ' _What happened to looking forward?! To moving forward and never stopping?! If I pull back, I'll age! If I hesitate, I'll die, I know this! I know this but..._ '

' _...but she's terrifying._ ' Letting his head fall into his hands the teen rubbed his temples. He had felt it in her presence, he could feel it in her touch, her breath on his skin... After another moment had passed a smirk spread across his lips, a far cry from the emotions that had just filled him. He could help but let out a small chuckle at the memory that filled him.

' _What are you afraid of?!_ '

' _So chad got hurt! So Inoue got hurt! So what?!_ '

' _Is that what you are?! A coward?! A quitter?!_ '

' _Are you afraid of defeat?! Is the inability to protect your friends that terrifying to you?! Or... is it that Hollow inside you?!_ '

' _If you're so afraid to lose, then get stronger. If you want to protect those you love, then do what you have to do to protect them. If the Hollow inside is so terrible... then get strong enough to crush it._ '

' _Even if no one in the world believes in you, stick out your chest and scream in defiance_!'

' _The Ichigo I know is that kind of man!_ '

"Che, worlds apart and that midget still knows how to kick my ass into gear," he mused in a whisper, standing from his seated position.

"Thanks for your help, Hyōrinmaru," he said, directing a glance toward the Dragon.

Hyōrinmaru merely nodded his head at the words, watching silently as the shadow once more consumed the teen's form. The hesitancy and despair that had filled his eyes had been replaced by a confident determination, the Dragon knew everything would work out.

* * *

~ Unknown Location

He didn't actually know where Ikomikidomoe would be, but he could feel her, and so he let the shadows guide him. When the shadows had receded once more, and the new world was made clear to his eyes, he couldn't help but hold his breath in wonder. It was an incredible sight he would admit, no small amount of awe entering his golden-brown eyes at the scenery.

He was stood in a field of lush, green grass, the leaves softly swaying in the cool breeze that brushed his skin. A lake of the purest water he'd ever seen was set into the earth, and all around him, large trees stood proudly. The horizon was dominated by large, snow-capped mountains whose magnificence was clear to see even from such a distance.

It was evening time in this strange land he now found himself in; the sun had long since set. Now the only source of light around him came from the moon which hung ominously overhead. Sat at the edge of the grass line before the lake was the very woman he'd come here to see, with her arms wrapped around her legs and her knees against her chest she looked quite vulnerable at that moment, though he knew not to doubt the woman.

"Ikomikidomoe..?" He called out, his voice a little less confident then he'd hoped. The woman in question remained where she was, not even twitching at his arrival.

He hesitated slightly before making his next move, ' _should I call out to her again? I don't know if_ _approaching her would be the best option but..._ ' With a bit of a shaky first step he closed their distance slightly, now only stood a couple feet back to her left allowing him a better look at her face.

She looked emotionless gazing out over the water, though Ichigo had to wonder what she could actually see with those bands going over her eyes. ' _Although she could be using her spiritual senses..._ ' The teen shook his head, that wasn't important right now. Glancing back toward the woman he was about to call out to her again when his patience was rewarded.

" _Ikomikidomoe hm? Yes, I suppose that is my name now, though I haven't heard it called since I was sealed._ " Her words were bitter even as her face remained impassive.

While he wasn't sure how their second meeting would go, he certainly didn't think it would be so awkward and depressing. "What was your name?"

" _I do not remember,_ " she said honestly, a touch of sadness underlying her tone, " _no, perhaps it's correct to say that my name no longer exists._ "

Ichigo's brow lifted curiously at her words, "what do you mean?"

" _Amaterasu's Monk, the one who calls thy real name, his power isn't just name bestowal; he can take them away too, that is how I was defeated. My name was removed, stricken from history along with my power. I was first given the name Asauchi, and while locked in a state between life and death they threw my body into the fire and forged me into the blade you saw in the Royal Realm, I was given the final name of Ikomikidomoe._ " She paused, huffing out a bit of mirthless laughter before speaking again.

" _Be honoured that you were given such an elaborate name. Until the one who comes along and tames you; remain here until the end of time... Those were the last words he spoke to me before I was shut in that shrine and sealed away._ "

Ichigo couldn't help but clench his fists tightly, teeth locking together in frustration. Despite what he may have thought of the woman, despite the anger he still felt for the crude dream she showed him just to draw him near, he couldn't help but pity her existence so far... no, he doubted that she wanted pity.

"I'm sorry..." he said simply.

For the first time since his arrival, the woman craned her head to look at him, a bemused smirk tugging at her lips. " _How curious, apologizing when you've done nothing wrong._ "

Ichigo couldn't really explain it either; he just felt like it was something that needed to be said. "Is this your inner world then?" He asked, once more looking out over the horizon.

" _Yes, though it has been quite some time since I've seen it. I wanted nothing to do with the Shinigami or my new existence, so I abandoned it long ago, choosing instead to live in darkness. Your appearance caused me to return here subconsciously,_ " she huffed again, " _so troublesome you are._ "

Ichigo once again couldn't really say anything; instead, he just scratched the back of his head in a sheepish manner.

" _I do wonder how you were able to reach this place; you've never been here so such a thing shouldn't be possible, even with those shadows of yours._ "

"I don't know either," he admitted. "I just sort of _felt_ you and let the shadows guide me."

She smirked again, " _I told you didn't I? We resonated._ "

He couldn't refute it.

Standing up from her seated position on the grass the woman turned to look at him. " _So, why did you come here? And significantly more powerful none the less, do you wish to fight?_ "

"No," he immediately replied with a shake of his head but refused to expand further.

A soft hum escaped her throat at his reply, she already knew why he was there, so it didn't matter. Moving to stand before him she was impressed that he didn't immediately back away. " _I can see that my aid to Zangetsu was not in vain, eyes that were once filled with uncertainty and fear are now brimming with weight, authority, purpose. You have the gaze of a man now._ " The teen still said nothing as her hands came up to gently cup his cheeks, he just stared up at where her eyes would be if they were uncovered.

With a few final words, her face slowly descended onto his, " _the choice is yours Ichigo, deny me now or be forever bonded to me._ "

Even as his heart thumped painfully in his chest, he didn't deny her. He just closed his eyes and let her lips connect with his. It wasn't rough or frantic; there was no tongue involved, it was just a simple connection, proof of the choice he'd made.

Opening his eyes after their lips parted he was met with a surprising sight. No longer did two purple sashes cross her cheeks in an x shaped manner covering her eyes, now they were clear to see, and her molten gold, snake-like eyes and slitted pupils bore into him with ravenous hunger.

He had no warning for the black reiatsu that exploded from her form, just a slight shift in the air that told him something was off. Glancing above her, he was reminded of his fight against Kenpachi when the skull like apparition had formed in the excess of his overwhelming reiatsu. Dancing and flickering above Ikomikidomoe was the same black figure that had haunted him the first week in Takamagahara.

Ichigo couldn't help the sense of dread that filled his stomach as the seconds passed, had he really made the right choice? As that thought passed through his mind the woman's smile shifted slightly, something akin to insanity fluttering at the edges.

With a slight stiffness, she pulled him in closer for a hug, her warm breath tickling his ear with every rise and fall of her chest. " _Don't be having thoughts like that now my master; it's far too late to turn back now._ "

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **So obviously I made some quality of writing improvements, including fleshing out the fight between Ichigo, Zangetsu and the old man, as well as changing the way his powers were sealed, going from the ball of power in the original version to the actual reishi sword from the manga.**

 **I'd like to make a quick note on Ichigo's combined form of Shunpo and** **Sonído** **as well. I can't remember if I've personally ever had a negative comment about it, but I have seen it in other stories where readers say it's stupid, that you can't combine the two of them and it's unrealistic, but I say screw that.**

 **I think it's unrealistic to assume that Shunpo,** **Sonído** **, Hirenkyaku and Bringer Light all work the same way and that you can't combine them. It's like saying Ichigo can't combine Gran Rey Cero and Getsuga Tenshō because they're two different techniques, but he did, so why can't he combine the movement techniques either?**

 **So anyways, there's my little rant about that.**

 **On the subject of Ichigo's meeting with Ikomikidomoe: Some reviewers commented that there was no way Ichigo would want to partner with her, considering her personality, and there is definitely some basis to that. However, Ichigo knows that if he wants to protect people again, it needs to be done.**

 **It's kind of like his old situation with Zangetsu, and Rukia's quote eluded to it as well. If he's scared of Zangetsu (Ikomikidomoe) then just grow strong enough that he (she) won't be able to control him. Ichigo knows that despite how unhinged Ikomikidomoe seems, despite how twisted her personality may be, as long as his resolve holds strong and he keeps moving forwards there is nothing to fear.**

 **I'd also like to touch quickly upon the kiss. As expected, after the last chapter some reviewers were worried about his potential relationship with her, and just as I told them I'll tell you all now, they aren't going to be screwing like rabbits nor are they going to be kissing, it was a one-time thing to seal the deal, that's it.**

 **A quick note. If any new readers are wondering why the hell some people are talking about Dragon bodies and Ichigo potentially getting one in the review** **section** **, don't worry about it. I previously had a question regarding that subject in this chapter when it first came out but I got the answers I needed and so I removed it.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	5. Chapter 5

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 5 -

~ Occult Research Club, Kuoh Academy

Each of the current members of the Occult Research Club who also make up the current members of Rias' peerage – well, with the exception of one elusive Bishop – were sat quietly, their eyes briefly scanning the hunched form of their King as another sigh escaped her mouth.

Only a couple days prior she was called in for an emergency meeting with her brother, one of the four current Devil Kings of Hell. This alone was cause for concern considering the whole ordeal with Riser and Rias' arranged marriage they'd just dealt with.

Upon returning the next day she had visible stress lines around her eyes, and it looked as though she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep that night. She remained the same for the next couple days which led to their current situation, just sitting at her desk lost in thought, oblivious to the worried gazes that lingered on her slouched form. Akeno, her queen, had attempted to talk to her but was quickly turned away, saying that the time wasn't right, and thus the tense atmosphere continued.

Not even Issei, whose perversion was rivalled by none dared to cause unnecessary trouble.

And then finally, after much waiting Rias shifted in her seat, back straightening again before briefly locking gazes with each of those present, her eyes doing nothing to hide the seriousness of the situation. Sucking in a deep breath, the Gremory heiress took a final second to collect her thoughts and began. "Everyone, as you're already aware, the Fallen Angels have been moving in secret for the past few weeks, continually stirring up trouble for no discernible reason and causing concern to rise within the upper ranks of the three great factions." Rias' words earned nods from her peerage members and a troubled gaze from Akeno.

"Thankfully they don't believe any of this is Azazel's doing, most likely just one of his subordinates leading a group of rebel Fallen for purposes still unknown. Although he _has_ been very elusive and hard to contact as of late, and while this behaviour isn't exactly abnormal for him, the timing of it all is what has the higher-ups worried." She paused shortly, letting that information sink in. It was a fairly serious matter, though it didn't come close to what she was next going to bring up.

Kiba had apparently caught onto this as well for he was quick to open his mouth. "President, while I agree that this a serious matter, to me it doesn't warrant the vast amounts of stress you've been displaying recently."

The Devil Heiress smiled crookedly at his words, she was proud of his intelligence and insight, but even so, she just couldn't bring herself to be truly happy at the moment. "You're right, the subject I discussed with my bother recently was of a completely different matter, it was in regard to the Shinto Faction led by the Shinto Trinity.

At the head of the Trinity stands the Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu, and right behind her are her two brothers, the God of the Moon, Tsukuyomi, and the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo. It's important to note that the Shinto have long since kept to themselves, not actively partaking in the happenings of the world, until recently that is. Just a couple years ago they suddenly re-emerged and began reforging their former bonds with the various factions of this world. I still remember my brother talking about the waves it had sent throughout the supernatural."

"Um..." Issei hummed, left hand raising slightly to signal that he had a question, upon seeing Rias nod at him he continued. "Why do the Shinto keep to themselves? If they're led by three Gods, then they must be pretty strong right? Wouldn't it be more beneficial for them to play an active part in the supernatural?"

Rias had to chuckle softly at his words; he always had such a broad and optimistic view about things, it was honestly refreshing. "Pretty strong is an understatement, Issei. Tsukuyomi and Susanoo aren't called Gods in name alone; their power can alter vast landmasses in the blink of an eye, and Amaterasu is... she is someone that could be placed within the top five beings of this world, excluding the true Dragon of course. As for why they keep to themselves? I cannot say, it's rumoured that only a handful of people know the true reason."

"You said that they only began to re-emerge a couple years ago, but why did they do so? Something of significance must have happened right?" Kiba asked further, each of his fellow peerage members perked up at the question, they too were curious of the answer.

"Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that either." She answered with an apologetic look, though it quickly returned to its former seriousness. "Our current issue strives from the Shinto Faction. We Devils have never quite gotten along with them, its always been more of a neutral tolerance for the sake of maintaining peace, and regrettably, ever since their re-emergence our relationship his only declined further." She paused again, almost unwilling to continue; the members of her peerage weren't stupid, they could already see where this was heading.

"If things weren't already tense enough, a few months ago things took a sharp turn for the worst and until two weeks ago had been deteriorating rapidly. I say two weeks ago because that was when they abruptly cut off all contact with us, and not even the other factions are saying much about it."

"...because we are Devils?" The white-haired Nekomata asked.

Rias couldn't really deny her statement. It was no secret that the Devils had always been an ill-favoured faction among the rest of the supernatural, though no one was willing to ever actually start something because of the power they once held. They, much like everyone else suffered mass casualties due to the Great War, now only possessing a fraction of their once great power.

Yes, they still had two Super Devils, five Satan Class Devils and the once Dragon King Tannin, but that wasn't enough to make them untouchable again, especially when your opponents were factions like the Hindu, Greek, Norse and Shinto who were all supernatural superpowers.

"Well, that's partly it. We know from what our intelligence group has gathered that the Shinto have cut off all factions and now just our own, so that's something to be hopeful about at least," she finally answered.

"But the negatives still outweigh the positives..." Akeno spoke up this time, voice sullen, a tone that Rias matched.

"Yes, it's unfortunate, but the four Satan's believe that a war will soon break out between our two factions. If that does happen, it is likely that we will be completely wiped out." This statement was followed by many sharp intakes of breath, her peerage could tell that the situation was bad, but this?

"W-wiped out?" The current Red Dragon squeaked out, a look of fear and panic on his face.

"That's what my brother told me, yes." In truth, Rias was just as scared as they were, but she couldn't show it, it was her that they looked up to for strength. If she too gave in to that fear, then what hope could they grasp onto?

"It's not that I doubt their judgment, but surely the Shinto Trinity alone cannot overpower the Devil race, right?" Kiba spoke up, a contemplative look on his face, something wasn't adding up. He knew that the Devils were a lot weaker than their former state; however, Super Devils could be considered power wise to be in the top fifteen, maybe even top ten of the supernatural, and with two of them in the Devil Faction surely they couldn't be overpowered so easily.

"I couldn't say; my brother was being very elusive on the subject. It felt like he was hiding something, but I can't exactly force him to talk, can I?" Before she could say any more, a bright red flash took over the area they were seated drawing attention to Issei's left arm where the Boosted Gear now sat.

[ **It goes without saying that the Trinity alone couldn't single handily defeat the Devils. Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub are both securely seated in the top ten beings of this world while in their true forms, and as powerful as Tsukuyomi and Susanoo are, they cannot defeat a Super Devil.**

 **Amaterasu, however, is a frightening woman. She has a level of power that could be considered as double that of a Super Devil, though I seriously doubt she could actually defeat both Sirzechs and Ajuka in a fight, and even if she somehow managed it she would lose her life in the process, something that in the long run wouldn't be worth it.** ]

"...then why are they so adamant we would lose?"

[ **Well the diplomatic answer would be that most of the factions in this world would side with the Shinto over the Devils if both were to head to war, and while that is true to an extent, it isn't the real reason the Satan** **'** **s fear extinction.** ]

Rias stiffened, understanding the meaning behind the Red Dragon Emperor's worlds. "So what's the undiplomatic reason?"

There was a brief period where Ddraig did not speak; only a small hum could be heard from the red gauntlet. It was obvious to the young Devils that they weren't really supposed to hear this and Ddraig was most likely weighing the positives and negatives of doing so.

Finally, a deep rumble could be heard from the gauntlet as the Dragon of Domination made its choice and prepared to speak. [ **Normally I wouldn't disclose such things as it is not my place to do so, however, since my current wielder is a Devil I feel that it would be wise to do so.** ] Ddraig started, now knowing he had their utmost attention. He wouldn't be able to say everything, but hopefully, he could say enough to increase their chances of survival in the coming months.

[ **What I'm about to tell you is a story from** **four** **\- hm, maybe even** **five** **hundred thousand years ago, it's hard to remember after all this time, back before I had been slain and sealed, when I was still dominating the skies as a true Heavenly Dragon,** ] he began, though was interrupted by the incredulous reaction of his wielder.

"F-Five hundred thousand years?!" Issei all but screamed, he just couldn't fathom it. He'd already had a hard enough time trying to come to terms with the ten thousand years Devils supposedly lived according to Rias, but now Ddraig was talking about a span seventy times greater than that like it was no more than a drop in the bucket.

The Dragon of domination couldn't really blame his wielder; he'd gone from being supernaturally oblivious all of his life, to dying and becoming a Devil with one of the strongest Sacred Gears in existence in a short period. His view of time was much different than a pure-blooded Devils, and especially a Dragon.

[ **Of course, all Dragons have infinite lifespans, I myself have existed for a few million years already, though my time in this plane of existence is nothing compared to the divine pair.** ] Seeing that his wielder was satisfied with the explanation, the Dragon continued his story.

[ **It is common knowledge that Dragons are prideful and arrogant creatures, and as a Heavenly Dragon whose strength was recognized by even the strongest Gods... well let's just say I was worse than your average Dragon, my arrogance knew no bounds.** ]

[ **I had been flying around what is now known to be modern-day Japan causing wanton destruction and terrorizing the animals and humans which inhabited** **it** **, and all for the purpose of goading the Shinto Trinity into a fight.** ] Ddraig had to pause again due to the disbelieving looks being directed at him, in truth it was making him feel rather bashful. He would've never done so in his younger days, but now he would admit he had been rather foolish back then.

[ **Ahem... anyways, it didn't work out exactly how I'd hoped it would, but I cannot say I was disappointed with the outcome. I was met with a single, unknown man who wore a black Kimono and white Haori, and on his waist was a simple, purple-hilted Katana. I immediately dismissed him on arrival, believing him unworthy of my attention, but what happened next I will forever remember.** ]

"...what happened?" Issei asked, completely entranced by the Dragons tale.

Ddraig let out a small chuckle before continuing, [ **What happened? We fought. We fought recklessly, without care for ourselves or our surroundings, with every attack we drew upon more of our own wellsprings of power, each trying to eviscerate the other. I couldn't believe it, myself a Heavenly Dragon, and this human who wielded fire hotter than anything I'd ever felt, whose very presence burned the atmosphere was pushing me back.**

 **Of course, If I had released my full power things would have turned quickly, but that didn't take away the significance of it all, this human was doing what most lesser Gods could only dream of.** ] Ddraig paused again, letting the weight of his words sink in. A Heavenly Dragons power is something only a fool would challenge, and now to hear of this mysterious man who could push that power back, even if a portion of it was still being held back... it caused a haunting chill to run up the spines of each person present in the club room. It was but a reminder of how insignificant they truly were in this world.

"So, what happened next?" Kiba asked, his tone did nothing to hide the amazement he felt at the tale.

[ **Well, fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it we were unable to finish. Amaterasu herself interrupted the fight, calling the man back. I demanded to know who he was, how he was associated with the Shinto, my pride as a Dragon would never allow such a worthy foe to remain nameless. She told me, and it was at that moment that I learned of the existence of the Shinto's recently formed 'Royal Guard' of which he was a part of.** ]

[ **It is the mystery behind this Royal Guard which brings fear to not only the Devils but every faction who is aware of its existence. To have one man whose strength** **can push** **a Heavenly Dragon** **back** **is cause for concern, but knowing that there could very well be more people who are as strong- or stronger than he is, is what the factions cannot take a risk on. Imagine if they had even twenty soldiers at that level? The Devil race as a whole would be gone and erased from existence in no more than a day.** ]

Silence enveloped the room when he finished. Rias and her peerage were simply trying to wrap their heads around the story they were just told and the implications of it. The group could only nod dumbly when Ddraig spoke up a final time, reminding them of the importance of keeping what they'd just been told a secret.

* * *

~ Soul Society: One month after Ichigo's disappearance

Yamamoto couldn't help the long sigh which escaped him, one that went unnoticed by the various Captains and Lieutenants filling out their meeting hall. The last twenty or so minutes had been spent bickering amongst themselves in regards to the whereabouts of Ichigo Kurosaki and the immediate measures which should be taken to find him.

It had already been a month since the boy had vanished from the human world, well vanished to those who didn't know where to look. Yamamoto was one of the few people who knew the truth of this world and as such had always known where he was. However, it was because of his knowledge and connection to the higher planes that he found out about the boy's unfortunate death at the hands of _that_ blade, forged from the only Hollow to ever withstand the might of Ryūjin Jakka.

It truly was a testament to its overwhelming strength that Ichibē Hyōsube and Ōetsu Nimaiya had to be the ones to kill it. Unfortunately, due to the needs of secrecy, he was unable to tell anyone else what had actually happened which led to the currently heated discussion from his most talented officers of how to find the already deceased young man.

Gazing into the faces of those present he could see fire and passion burning deep within their souls. Even those who had yet to really meet him and talk face to face with him were demanding that search parties be sent out to scour the three worlds. It was incredible, Yamamoto would admit, the amount of loyalty that he inspired in all those he met. Even the two formerly coldest Captains in the Soul Society; Byakuya Kuchiki and Suì-Fēng were actively participating in this conversation and had been since the announcement of his disappearance.

It brought a pang of sadness to his heart knowing the unfortunate truth of the situation, no matter how hard they looked they would never find him again. Nevertheless, until the news was officially broken through Kisuke Urahara, Yamamoto would have to play the part of a concerned Commander who wished to find the boy as well.

Thus, deciding that the discussion had become a little too heated, he hefted his cane up and cracked it off the polished wood flooring just once bringing the hall to a silence. "I agree that finding Ichigo Kurosaki is our top priority, however, right now our options are limited. Kurotsuchi-taichō has been closely monitoring the three worlds and has yet to pick up anything out of the ordinary. As such, I believe our first course of action should be to make contact with Kisuke Urahara. He has feigned ignorance thus far, but I believe he may know something." Multiple nods of agreement quickly followed his statement; it would be far more unbelievable to those present if the man didn't have something to do with this whole situation.

"Do I have any volunteers to go to the world of the living and meet with him?" He asked, and as expected there were quite a few hands which rose up into the air. Yamamoto needed to think carefully about who to send; it would need to be someone who could keep a level head if the truth was in fact released during this meeting, and for that reason alone Suì-Fēng was out. He could already see the sadistic gleam in her eye; the woman would probably beat the man up even if the boy was still alive.

' _Kuchiki-_ _taichō_ _and Hitsugaya-_ _taichō_ _would both be good for this reason; they each have experience in the world of the living as well. However, Shunsui had actually grown quite close to the boy during his time as a Shinigami; perhaps it would be alright to send him instead? It could also end up being quite a tricky situation, having someone like Shunsui there could be beneficial in more ways than one,_ ' he mused, quickly pondering the many scenarios that could play out. Normally a Captain of Shunsui's level wouldn't be sent to the human world unless it was to fight, but this case was unique.

With a final nod to himself, the Commander prepared to give his orders.

"After this meeting is adjourned, Kyōraku-taichō is to make preparations for departure to the human world. Upon arrival, you are to make contact with Kisuke Urahara and try to ascertain the location of the missing Kurosaki; it will be up to your judgment as to whether or not you think he is telling the truth. After completing this task, you will return to the Seireitei where another Captains meeting will be held to discuss your findings."

It was disappointing for some of the Captains and Lieutenants to hear that they wouldn't be able to go, mostly for those closest to him. It was also a little surprising that Kyōraku of all people was chosen, but their Captain Commander was no fool and always had a reason for doing the things he did, so everyone would go along with it easily enough.

Cracking his cane off the floor one final time the meeting was dismissed and everyone started filing out of the room, everyone except for Kyōraku who had been asked to stay behind.

The easygoing Captain of the eighth just gave his teacher a curious glance from under his Sakkat, "what's going on here, Yama-jii?" It was obvious that he knew something the rest of them didn't.

"Shunsui, I have no time for explanations right now, but I will discuss it with you and Jūshirō at a later date, for now just please do as I ask without question." Yamamoto started, drawing an even more suspicious glance from Kyōraku, but he could see that his student had quickly accepted the situation, and after receiving a nod he continued.

"I believe that I already know what has happened Ichigo Kurosaki and it is not a good fate. While my theory may not be true, it still needs to be confirmed, and thus you are the one I have chosen for this task. When you meet with the man, do not ask too many questions, just ascertain the boy's fate and return. Upon returning, come straight to my office, do not stop for anyone and do not tell anyone what you have learned before speaking to me, is that clear?"

Now he really knew something was up, but he trusted Yama-jii and thus would do as instructed. With a small nod to his teacher he turned and headed right for the Senkaimon, he had no need to detour at his division. Asides from a lack of power, Nanao was already Captains material, she could effortlessly keep everything functioning without instruction from him.

* * *

~ Human World. Inoue's Home

It was time. Today was the day that the Karakura group would be heading back to the Urahara Shop. It had been a month since Ichigo first disappeared, and two weeks since they had originally been given information on the subject. It was no secret that they would've liked to hear more, but they also understood that certain things just couldn't be said, and in terms of the supernatural pecking order they were quite far down on the list.

The group today only consisted of Inoue, Tatsuki, Chad, and Ishida. Chizuru, Keigo and Mizuiro who had gone with them the first time had decided that the Shop wasn't really a place for non-supernatural denizens like themselves. They would let their supernatural friends handle it and when information on Ichigo was given it would be relayed back to them. Tatsuki was the one exception to this, while she too held a fear of the Shopkeeper – and she'd be dammed if she let herself get on his bad side – she refused to get left behind anymore.

She understood that she was just a normal human, and that her Karate skills alone wouldn't have done anything against the opponents her friends had faced, but she was no longer powerless, and wouldn't be kept out of it any longer.

Tatsuki had already been considering asking the Shopkeeper if there was anything she could do to get stronger, even if it was just to protect Karakura from low-levelled Hollows, it would be enough. Moreover, she had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that Ichigo wouldn't be coming back. Obviously, she didn't suspect that he would die, it was more along the lines of him becoming a permanent member of the Soul Society where he could really play an active part in improving the world.

She had known Ichigo for a long time, and she knew as soon as he'd lost his powers that he wasn't happy, no matter how much he tried to act otherwise. After experiencing the world that he did, after tasting the immense power that he'd had, the power to protect, she knew he would never go back to a normal, mundane human life.

It was for this reason that she hoped Inoue would move on soon, they just weren't compatible. Inoue was bound by the laws of mortals and would die after living her human life; it may be a bit longer than most due to her abilities but nonetheless, she will eventually die, and there is no guarantee that she will keep her memories after passing on to the Soul Society. Ichigo, on the other hand, will get his powers back long before his mortal death, and when he does, he's going to live for a very, very long time.

Tatsuki had been told about the Soul Society, souls and just generally how it all worked, and if Ichigo was as ridiculously strong as her three supernatural friends said he was, then he would be alive for far longer than any of them. A relationship between one person bound by the laws of mortals and a literal God of Death who will live for thousands of years could never work. It was something Inoue needed to realize already; she was wasting her life chasing something that would never be.

She scoffed to herself at the current line of thoughts, ' _and_ _wasn_ _'t that_ _a_ _shocker? That damn Ichigo's already been dead for almost two years now, who would've guessed?_ ' It wasn't too surprising that she'd freaked out when that bit of information was shared with her, but after hearing why he'd done it, she couldn't be mad. Rukia had changed his world, opened him back up after his mother's death, of course he would risk everything to save her.

Glancing up from her place on the couch she gained a look of pity upon seeing Chad and Inoue talking on the far side of the room. Well, Inoue was talking a thousand miles per minute and judging by her wide and random arm gestures it was a pretty _interesting_ story she was telling, poor Chad looked to be barely keeping up with it all. The gentle giant looked as if his brain would fry from Inoue's overactive imagination at any moment.

Letting a small smirk ease its way onto her face she looked towards the other occupant in the room, Ishida, who seemed completely oblivious to what was going on right now, a look of serious contemplation on his face. Normally, Tatsuki would pass it off, it was no secret that the guy was overly serious and often a stuck in the mud, but there was a sort of grim undertone in his eyes that made her want to ask what was up.

Leaning forward slowly as not to draw Inoue's or Chad's gaze she spoke under her breath, "Oi Ishida, what's wrong with you?"

His eyes briefly widened at the sound of her voice; clearly, he had been very deep in thought. He met her gaze, trying to get a feel for her current mood, she liked to tease him a lot for his serious personality so he wanted to make sure this wouldn't be a repeat of those occasions before acknowledging her. He noted happily that her own gaze held a real seriousness for once.

In truth there wasn't anything wrong so to speak, "I may be overthinking it, but I've had an ominous feeling poking at the back of my mind for quite some time, that's all."

She merely nodded in acceptance. One thing she'd learned from Inoue's lessons was that people with above average levels or reiryoku had a sort of extra sense to detect when something was amiss in the supernatural. She herself, wasn't at that level thus she had no way of understanding what he was talking about; However, she also knew the Quincy wasn't one to mess around when it came to serious matters so she would trust his judgment.

Before she could respond again Inoue called out to the room, it seemed like her story was finished – much to the relief of Chad – and they would be heading out towards the Shopkeepers place.

* * *

The walk wasn't too long, and as they approached the candy store, it was easy to see signs of unease marring their faces. There was such a depressing and oppressive aura practically oozing from its walls, and it turned what was supposed to be a positive outing in which they'd learn more about their missing friend into something much worse.

After opening the front doors to the store and hearing the familiar chime of a bell which alerted the Urahara Shop employees to a new customer, a small shuffling could be heard in one of the back rooms followed by clumsy footsteps which got louder as the seconds passed. When the door leading into the front of the store opened revealing a tired and dishevelled Urahara, the four teens felt their hearts sink, something was wrong.

* * *

~ Soul Society

Shunsui Kyōraku was one of the friendliest, most easygoing Captains in the Gotei 13, always approachable and willing to lend an ear, it didn't matter if you were from his division or not. All were welcome to knock on his door when guidance was needed, and that's how he thought it should be.

However, being arguably the second strongest Captain under Yamamoto himself, and coupled with the vast wisdom he'd attained over his long life meant that he was often given tasks by the Captain Commander or the Central 46 that no one else could handle other than him. It was incredibly easy to tell when he was on one of these special assignments as well, the wide space all other Shinigami were keeping around him was proof of that.

No longer did he move with a lazy stance, his long strides were filled with purpose and his normally slouched form now extended to reveal his full height. His sakkat was tilted down over his eyes blocking them from view; his mouth remained visible though if you caught a glimpse of it, you would just see a thin line. And finally, at his hip were the two sealed blades of his Zanpakutō. He had been given a task, and he would complete it with the utmost seriousness.

' _I believe that I already know what has happened Ichigo Kurosaki and it is not a good fate._ ' Kyōraku's mood soured further as that same line continued to play in his head. He had to wonder just what the hell was going on right now, what did Yama-jii know that no one else did? Could Ichigo have been taken by a supernatural force that he was unaware of? If yes, then why? It was obvious that the kid would have made his own fair share of enemies during his time as a Shinigami, but there should be no Hollows capable of entering the human world without their knowing, and with the heavy surveillance they kept him under the thought of him getting abducted was just too unlikely.

' _A Quincy perhaps..?_ ' He wanted to immediately deny the possibility, but he was no fool. As soon as Yama-jii failed to kill Yhwach a thousand years ago, the possibility was opened. Of course, it was highly unlikely, but still, the possibility remained.

Even so, Kyōraku didn't think the Quincy had something to do with it, but if it wasn't a Hollow or Quincy, then what? Obviously, Yama-jii and Urahara had some idea. Was it possible that another race existed out there that only select few were allowed to know about? The Captain Commander would certainly be privy to that information, and clearly Urahara, much like Aizen, had ways of finding out things they weren't supposed to, so he could understand that.

Now it simply rose the questions of who- or what had taken him, and what had happened to him after that abduction?

Shunsui felt as though he'd become a sort of uncle to the brash teen that stormed the supposedly impenetrable Seireitei with only a couple of humans, a Quincy, and a cat. And to think that the young man with so much heart could be dead, it brought a feeling up in Shunsui that he hadn't felt in a long time, and one he did not enjoy.

Approaching the Senkaimon, he gave a curt nod towards the two guards stationed at its sides. He halted briefly, his foot tapping impatiently as the grate crept open wide enough for him to step through; when it did he pushed past and picked up the pace, fast enough to cross the distance between the gate and the human world in a few seconds but not fast enough to actually slip into Shunpo for that would be a death sentence.

Upon breaking through to the other side, he didn't even hesitate before flickering from existence; there was nothing for him to look at anyways. The air in the Soul Society was much cleaner, and while the large buildings in the human world were interesting, Shunsui found the scenery in the Soul Society to be much more pleasant.

Although he had exited the Dangai a fair distance away from the Urahara Shop, his proficiency in Shunpo allowed him to close the distance in a couple long 'steps.' Touching down outside he could see four people stood there waiting, three he knew and the fourth not so much. While she had a little more reiatsu than average, he doubted that she'd formed it into some sort of power.

Ishida was the first of the four to notice him, evident by the quick shift of his feet; the surprise was clear on his face. "Kyōraku-san, what are you doing here?" He asked, Chad and Inoue quickly followed suit and greeted him, the fourth member of their group just gave him a curious glance.

"Hello Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Inoue-san, and Ms..?" He trailed off, glancing towards the unknown girl.

"Tatsuki Arisawa," she replied stiffly with a small bow, obviously a little intimidated by his presence.

"A pleasure to meet you,' he said with a small smile and a tip of his Sakkat. "I'm Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain of the Eighth Division. As for why I'm here... well, I suspect it's the same reason as you four are," he finished, earning knowing looks from the group.

Simultaneously they all turned to look towards Urahara again though he said no words, he just gave a small, lazy gesture of his hand for the group to follow. Without even looking to see if they'd followed he headed back into the depths of his store.

* * *

~ Royal Realm

"Che, so why'd you call me over here too? You gonna gloat some more about that bet?" Kirinji spoke up in a sour tone, something akin to a pout on his face. "I still can't believe I had to tell Amaterasu-sama about the kid's death, that shit sucked." Tenjirō was, like everyone else, a child of Amaterasu, to make her cry like that cut him deep.

Resting her chin in one of her skeletal arms, Senjumaru gave the man a playful smirk. "Well, perhaps you shouldn't have lost, hm?" She teased, earning a glare.

"You've got some nerve to say then when you cheated!" He bit back, "don't think for a second that I didn't see your threads dancing around!" His glare was sharp, but it held no real malice. The members of the Zero Division were competitive to a fault and would often cheat to win their various 'bets,' Kirinji himself was not innocent of the crime either though that was completely forgotten at the moment.

"Now now, we didn't call you here to tease you," Kirio assured, interrupting the two before it could escalate further. "Senju-chan finished the latest iteration of the Shihakushō and wanted our thoughts on it."

"Indeed, though that can wait," the woman titled as 'Great Weave Guard' cut in, her sharp gaze solely directed at the head of their Division. "I was hoping that Ichibē would first tell us what the Tsunayashiro snake has been up to," Senjumaru said bluntly, smirking at the warning look Ichibē sent her. It was no secret that she hated the man called Tokinada Tsunayashiro – though really, who didn't – however, he was still their superior and insulting him as she so frequently did was not good for her well being. She knew this, of course, she just didn't care.

Ichibē, too, knew this, but he still had to say something every time, it was his job to look after his subordinates after all. Shaking his head lightly he made to address their expectant looks. "It's nothing too serious," he assured, "you know Tsunayashiro-sama, always the mischievous one!" He finished with a burst of strong laughter, though no one was buying it.

Ōetsu, who was often even more spirited than Ichibē just glared strongly towards the boisterous man. If their theory was correct than Tokinada had committed a grave sin that couldn't be ignored, but Ichibē had until now refused to answer. "We know that he came to you for the forbidden spirit technique, the ' _Soul Disruption Ritual_ ,' as well as the sacred item given to us by Amaterasu-sama herself, the ' _Divine Separation Claw,_ ' the same item Sosuke Aizen based his Hogyoku removal tool off of.

Now, needing those two things at the same time is eyebrow-raising enough, but it's the timing of it all that really has us curious. He came to you for them the day after Ichigo Kurosaki used the final Getsuga Tenshō. And, if that wasn't enough coincidence for you, a few months later Ichigo came to us missing a portion of his soul and needing a new Zanpakutō. I wonder why that is."

If Ichibē's grin could spread any wider, it would likely split his face right in two.

' _What was that old human expression? Saved by the bell?_ ' Ichibē mused to himself as a foreign reiatsu pressed down on the Royal Realm, glancing towards the Zanpakutō Shrine in his own palace he couldn't help but think that the beacon of unrestrained power was oddly familiar.

With the four other members of the Zero Division behind him, they set off to meet this cheeky intruder.

* * *

~ Zanpakutō Shine

When Ichigo stepped back into the familiar room, he couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief, it was nice to be back. Shifting a glance toward the Zanpakutō resting in his hand, he couldn't help the flush of embarrassment that returned to his cheeks.

He didn't know what had come over him, why he'd let her kiss him of all things, he had just been so caught up in the moment that he couldn't really stop it... yeah, he'd go with that. When his reason had come back to him, all he could do was fall ungracefully on to his butt and gape, the teasing laugh from Ikomikidomoe sure didn't help things.

Hearing another soft giggle echoing in his soul he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. Sighing out, Ichigo couldn't help but wonder just what he'd gotten himself into again, he certainly didn't need the power of foresight to know that she'd be a handful.

With a soft shake of his head, he glanced around the room, gaze lingering briefly on each of the blades before moving onto the next. His eyes lingered a little longer on the Dragon of ice, the teen obviously feeling a great appreciation for the help he'd received, perhaps he could pay him another visit eventually.

He only spared a short glance towards the Zanpakutō on the back wall, _his_ Zanpakutō, before turning and heading towards the door, if he wanted to see Ikomikidomoe then all he'd have to do is look to his own soul, there was no reason to stay here any longer.

As he pulled the door open he was met with five suspicious – and slightly curious – faces, one of which he was familiar with. "Ichibē?" He called out, "I didn't think you'd be here to greet me, are those the other members of the Royal Guard?" He asked, flicking his head in the direction of the four behind him.

Ichibē rose a curious brow at the familiarity. He looked like Ichigo, sort of felt like the kid too, but Ichigo had died, he'd triple checked it himself, this couldn't be him. "They are," he finally answered, deciding to play along for now, "from right to left you have Senjumaru Shutara, Kirio Hikifune, Tenjirō Kirinji and Ōetsu Nimaiya."

Ichigo nodded, tilting his head forward slightly in greeting, "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, though you probably knew that already."

Catching a gleam of metal from the now named Senjumaru's side his expression grew tense. While the long skeletal arm that had extended from her back was odd to see, it wasn't what had put him on guard, that honour rested with the large sewing needle currently sat in its bony clutches.

Its appearance didn't fool him, he wouldn't mistake the feeling of a Zanpakutō. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, he was met with a simple question.

"Are you though?"

Now it was Ichigo turn to raise a curious brow towards the group of five, ' _what the hell are they talking about?_ '

"Ichigo Kurosaki died while under my watch," Tenjirō cut in, answering his unspoken question, "I felt his pulse fade, Ichibē and I checked it multiple times, we wouldn't make an error like that."

"We all watched his soul dissipate into reishi, you cannot be him," Senjumaru continued again, her needle raising higher towards Ichigo.

"What a pain..." the teen mumbled out, confusing the members of the Royal Guard further. Glancing down toward the blade held loosely in his hand, Ichigo couldn't help but smile crookedly. Shifting the position of his arm, he let the five people get a better look at the Zanpakutō he actually held.

"You're right, I did die, sort of..." he admitted, "though you can blame her for that."

"Her..?" Ōetsu repeated, he knew full well what that blade was, but back when it had attacked the Soul Society it was no more than a monster. He wasn't aware it had a gender.

"You fools," a new voice called out, light and seductive but every word dripped with venom.

The five people before Ichigo could only stare wide-eyed as a beautiful woman manifested behind him, her arms around his neck as she draped herself over him.

Ichibē grinned widely at the sight, "you may look different, but I've never forgotten those eyes, all that hatred you harbour for me and Ōetsu, I'd never forget it."

"So, do you still doubt my master's authenticity?" She asked, blatantly ignoring the Monk's words, she'd only come out in the first place to end this stupid inquisition.

"Hm, I suppose I'll have to believe him if you've got a good explanation for me."

Ichibē and the Royal Guard weren't disappointed.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop, Karakura Town

The normally active candy shop which carried a sense of happiness and excitement sat silently in its empty lot, not even the slightest movement could be heard from within its walls. The front door and all of its windows were tightly shut, not letting even a faint glow of light squeeze through its cracks, not that you'd find any light even if you entered inside. The usually eccentric shopkeeper sat slouched in his back room, lazily slumped against the wall in the dark, his hat set over his eyes shielding him from the non-existent light threatening to consume him.

He had remained the same ever since word had come in from Takamagahara a few days ago.

Two weeks ago he- like everybody else, noticed the odd clouds that quickly blanketed the sky, bringing with them record-breaking amounts of rain that fell over Japan for a week straight. Hell, every news station you could think of was still raving on about the unprecedented amounts of precipitation that had fallen in such a short amount of time, there was still mass flooding in many areas.

He could feel the anguish and despair that laced every droplet, and he knew right away that something terrible had happened, or would soon. What, or from where, he couldn't say, but he knew he'd soon find out. The next week or so of constant rain left him with thinning patience, he had thought of every possible scenario that would cause such a feeling of unease within him, and no matter how many times he ran over it, it all led back to Ichigo.

And sure enough, about a week later the downpour fizzled away into a light drizzle, stopping completely a couple days further after that, and then the call came. When it was not Amaterasu-sama, but instead Susanoo whom he was close with that contacted him, his worst fears were revealed. As soon as the conversation had ended, he found himself hiding in the dark, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to think. The same few words just kept echoing in his head, ' _Ichigo has failed_ _. H_ _e is dead._ '

Even for someone as old and experienced as Urahara, even though he knew that no one was truly invincible, he still couldn't imagine the thought of Ichigo ever dying. Ever since meeting the boy- no, that man, he'd been repeatedly and completely blown away by his levels of power and even more so, his supernatural growth rate.

It didn't matter how many times he lost, how badly he was defeated, he always got back up, always got stronger, always defeated the bad guy. To think of him loosing, and loosing completely, it was something he just couldn't fathom. He'd honestly found himself in a state of denial for the first few hours, it was just ludicrous.

It was only when Yoruichi had returned from her latest information gathering trip to the Soul Society, and he'd told her the news that it truly set in. If the situation had been different, it would've almost been funny to see such a look of utter disbelief on her face, though any thoughts of amusement were quickly shattered upon seeing the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Neither of them wished to be the ones to do so, but Isshin would need to be informed as soon as possible, it was his right as the boy's father. He would need to hear the news and them compose himself enough to tell Yuzu and Karin as well, and boy did the thought of that hit Urahara and Yoruichi right in the heart. It was no secret that the two of them loved their older brother more than anything, this was going to devastate them.

Kisuke could still remember it vividly. He had called Isshin, telling the man that he needed to head to the Urahara Shop as soon as possible. The former Captain obviously understood the seriousness of the situation by the tone of his longtime friend's voice, and thus not even five minutes later he was outside the shop clad in his Shihakushō, clearly having utilized Shunpo to get there as quickly as possible.

Kisuke was sat crossed-legged on the wooden step inside his shop, and Isshin opted to stand in the doorway. Night had already fallen around them, so the dim light coming from a couple candles inside the shop cast a fairly ominous glow on everything around them.

After a couple of moments of silence, Isshin closed his eyes and exhaled softly, nodding his head towards Kisuke he gave the go-ahead to convey what needed to be conveyed. The shopkeeper's response was short and would've seemed vague to anyone unaware of the situation, but Isshin understood. ' _He failed._ '

Isshin fell to his knees hunched over like a puppet with its strings cut, his body shaking lightly as small droplets fell from his shadowed face. Urahara did not move from his spot, nor did he offer any words of comfort, there was nothing he could say.

In a span fewer than ten years, he had lost his wife and only son.

The sound of a bell ringing wrenched him from his depressing thoughts, extending his spiritual sense he recognized the four people waiting, ' _ah, so that was today..._ ' he had completely forgotten. Ichigo's human friends, here to hear the latest report on their friend, though it definitely wouldn't be the one they expected. It was unfortunate, but this time he would be delivering the news alone. Yoruichi had vanished after they told Isshin, and Tessai was out on a supply run for the shop, though he couldn't say the silence bothered him right now.

Ever so slowly he stood from his position on the floor, body stiff from the lack of movement. He didn't even bother to stretch out his muscles before trudging towards the front of the shop, his steps heavy and lacking their usual grace and precision.

He really wasn't in the mood for this, but it needed to be done, though it would seem his bad luck hadn't run out yet. As he prepared to open the final door that would lead to his shop, he felt the familiar pulse of energy that signified a Senkaimon opening up nearby meaning that the Shinigami too felt that this would be a good day to get some answers, ' _oh joy..._ ' he mused internally.

He quickly recognized the reiatsu of the chosen Captain, although he was curious as to why such a powerful Shinigami has been sent out for this task he wouldn't question it, there was no time to anyways, within seconds the man was in front of his shop greeting the Karakura team plus one.

When all attention came back to him, he just gave a lazy wave of his arm and trudged back towards his meeting room. He fell back down onto his cushion ungracefully and waiting for the others to seat themselves. Kyōraku took the seat opposite of him, and the four teenagers split up, sitting two on each side of the table, each gazing expectantly at him.

Without any of his normally jovial tone, he got straight to the point. "You're all here for an update of Kurosaki-san, right?" The four teenagers nodded quickly, Kyōraku was the only one who actually replied.

"Mm, well I'd say my reason for being here is more for confirmation than anything else," he answered cryptically, the teenagers didn't understand the meaning behind his words, but Urahara did.

' _I see... I suppose Yamamoto-sōtaichō would know considering his position, though for obvious reasons he cannot announce it himself, and most likely just sent someone for formalities._ ' Urahara huffed quietly before speaking again, "I see, well I'll be frank. I don't know too much about the situation, and of what I do know, not all of it can be said." As soon as those words passed his lips and light of understanding flashed through Kyōraku's eyes, he is one person who would understand the unwritten laws of ' _don't say anything you aren't supposed to, or else._ '

"Nonetheless, I will confirm this to the five of you right now, Ichigo Kurosaki is dead."

* * *

~ Royal Realm

It turned out – much to Ichigo's relief – that Ikomikidomoe's retelling of their current events was sufficient enough to clear him of suspicion, though all of the members of the Zero Division found certain aspects of it worrisome. Amaterasu would need to be informed immediately of this mysterious being who had saved Ichigo, cheating death was no simple feat.

Ōetsu Nimaiya had left pretty quickly after the explanation was complete, saying he had some business to attend to, but that was really just a farce. He was the creator of the Asauchi and Zanpakutō, he knew all of their intricacies and the limits they held, he also knew what they were capable of in the right hands. He knew where every Zanpakutō in existence was, who had it, and why.

So when he'd heard the Shiba heir's story, coupled with the information they had on what the Tsunayashiro heir had been up too, and worse, what they didn't know about his current activities, he was rightfully wary.

The rest of the Royal Guard had split as well, it was decided that he would pay each of their various palaces a visit so that they could prepare him. Ichigo had objected at first, saying that he wanted to head back to Takamagahara, then Karakura to see his friends and family but was abruptly shut down.

He may have acquired a Zanpakutō and plugged the hole in his soul, but his power was far greater than it used to be, and with his still non-existent reiatsu control he would be nothing more than a threat to all the innocent souls in both the human world and Takamagahara.

So it was decided that first, he would pay a visit to Tenjirō's home and make sure that his body and soul were completely healed and free of any tainted reiryoku. After that, he would make a quick stop at Senjumaru's palace so that she could take his measurements and begin preparing his new Shihakushō for when his training had completed. Ichigo's third stop would be with Kirio as its impossible to get any serious training done on an empty stomach, and so she would get him stuffed in no time.

The second to last stop would be with the Zanpakutō creator himself, it was one thing to have bonded with Ikomikidomoe, but he still needed to forge her from an Asauchi into a real Zanpakutō. If Ichigo was going to have any chance in his future battles, then he wouldn't be able to half-ass it with a fake Zanpakutō anymore.

All throughout his time as a Shinigami, he was able to hold his own without Asauchi's aid. Ōetsu doubted that he'd even understand the significance of that fact if he told him, so he wouldn't mention it, but one thing was for certain, the first naturally born Reiō candidate since the birth of the world truly was a frightening being.

* * *

When he'd made it to the final of the five destinations, Ichibē's palace, it was time for his actual training to begin, though it wasn't anything exciting. The first thing they would be working on before anything else was reiatsu control, and as someone who had managed to avoid this particular lesson thus far, and had accumulated so much power while doing so, he would be in for one hellish experience.

Ichibē had told him that they'd be starting with the basics, though Ichigo would be learning the reiatsu controlling technique crafted specifically for souls like himself with such immense levels of reiryoku. It was the same technique that each of the Zero Division members used, it was the same technique that both Yamamoto and Aizen used to control their vast powers, and it will be the technique they teach Kenpachi Zaraki if he ever releases his full power.

Ichigo had been morbidly curious about Kenpachi's ' _full power,_ ' the idea that he could get even stronger, potentially even unlocking Shikai and Bankai was terrifying, but Ichibē wouldn't expand further on the subject, saying that it was a history he had no business telling others, Ichigo respected that decision.

Well, that was something he could think more on later, for now, he had some serious training to do if he wanted to see his family again.

Settling back into his meditative state he once more found his ' _power,_ ' the white silhouette of his form surrounded by a cocoon of thundering reiryoku. And now it had come time to seal that power, or at least try to.

He was told by Ichibē that when beginning to learn to control one's power, using your mind and visualizing things was the key to how successful you would be. In order to be most successful, he would need to ' _put his reiryoku into something,_ ' all figuratively of course. What that ' _something_ ' was didn't matter, it would just act as a visual aid for drawing in, holding, and later releasing his power again when it was necessary.

As an added hint Ichibē had told him that something with multiple sides would be best, though it was up to him. Ichigo certainly didn't doubt the Monk's wisdom as so he took the hint with much appreciation.

After a moment of silent consideration, he decided on an octahedron, however, thinking back on the hint that he'd received, Ichigo doubted that a polyhedron with only eight faces would be ideal for the task. As such, on each of the eight triangular faces, he set in twenty-four smaller triangles from edge to edge until that eight-sided octahedron now held a total of a hundred and ninety-two unique triangles that he could channel his reiryoku through.

It had taken him a few moments just to smooth everything out, trying to fine-tune a hundred and ninety-two small triangles spread over only eight faces was no simple task. It was taxing on his mind trying to fit everything cleanly together. And this was supposed to be the easy part.

Eventually, he was satisfied with his creation and thus moved on to stage two. Imagining that the container he'd just meticulously created was in the centre of his white silhouettes chest, he pulled.

Pulled, twisted, pushed, forced.

He did everything he could to pull in the tempestuous energies around him, and it wasn't going well. His face had scrunched up from the almost painful concentration he was putting into the task, and his body trembled lightly from the strain. Ikomikidomoe's soothing whispers in the back of his mind were certainly helping, but he could only take so much.

With a sharp gasp, he was ejected from his mind, taking in a deep gulp of air he fell backwards onto the cool grass underneath him. His chest rose and fell with ragged breaths as sweat continued to bead down his forehead, he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so utterly exhausted.

Dragging a bleary gaze toward his teacher, he was confused to see an amused gleam in his eyes, though that confusion didn't last long.

"You suck at this," Ichibē said honestly, a bark of laughter escaping him.

With his breathing returning to a more natural pace, he finally sat back up, still slumped and sluggish with exhaustion but no longer completely out of it. Glancing toward the Monk again, Ichigo gave him a half-hearted glare at his comment, "It's not my fault I've got so much reiryoku, and I'd say I did pretty well considering this is my first time trying to control it all." He breathed out, though his eyes narrowed further when the man's grin widened.

"I thought you would've caught on already, but it seems not," he said cryptically, head shaking lightly. "Ichigo, there's no such thing as having too much reiryoku to be controlled, just look at Aizen and Yamamoto, both of them currently still have more reiryoku than you but their control is masterful." He paused, letting that information sink in before continuing. "Unfortunately, your old mentor Kisuke Urahara only told you that so he could get out of the tedious task of teaching you to control it."

Ichigo couldn't help but shake his head at the revelation, he couldn't even be mad at the guy, it was such a typical Urahara thing to do. ' _Doesn't mean he isn't going to get an elbow to the face the next time we meet though,'_ he mused, a sadistic smirk spreading across his lips.

"Though I will admit that it was a pretty good first attempt considering your situation," Ichibē admitted, "once you get a good grasp on your control well move into my actual palace and really get started," he finished, throwing a gaze up toward the small Dojo sat atop the back hill.

"I'm guessing the inside is some sort of separate dimension like Ōetsu's Asauchi pit, they're both so small on the outside, but looks can be deceiving." Ichigo's words earned a nod from the man across from him.

"Correct, my palace is a Dojo filled with ultra-dense, supercharged reishi particles to an extreme you won't find anywhere else. So extreme in fact that time is dilated, one day out here is equal to roughly five inside."

Ichigo's eyes widened at the information, ' _so it's like the Dangai then._ '

"But enough of that, at this rate you'll never make it in there," he taunted, "you want to make it back to your family right? Well not like this you won't." He couldn't even finish his taunt before the teen settled back into his meditative state, the fatigue plaguing him seemingly forgotten as he got back to work.

Ichibē would admit that he was impressed by the teen's diligence, though his work would be cut out for him. The main problem Ichigo faced was the nature of his reiryoku. It had always been very dense and aggressive, further corrupted by the Hollow within making it dangerous for weaker souls to be in his vicinity for an extended period of time. And now, with recent events that had only gotten worse.

Through unlocking his full power, his reiryoku had easily tripled in size, but that wasn't all. One would think that because he found harmony in his soul and balance between his various powers that his reiatsu would be less lethal to others, but it was the opposite, his mix of Shinigami, Hollow and Quincy was so pure that it burned everything around him.

Unfortunately, because of these factors, the power that he had regained to protect those he loved was nor more dangerous to them than any enemy he'd faced before.

He will certainly face hardships along this path that he's chosen, experience moments of great frustration anger, sadness, despair, there will be times when he just feels like giving up, but even so, he didn't think there would be an unhappy ending to this story, the Monk knew he would pull through.

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **I've made a grave mistake... I had a perfect schedule for this rewrite. I'd take a week to rewrite the new chapter, then wait five more days to defamiliarize myself with the chapter, edit it on the sixth day of the second week, then upload it on the fourteenth day. It was perfect! And then I bought Civilization 5...**

 **I've been watching playthrough's of Civ5 for years but never had an interest to buy it myself, then recently I saw on steam that if you bought the Civ5 bundle – the game and all of it's DLC, a total of like fifteen things in total – than you'd save over a hundred dollars... yes you heard that correctly, _over a hundred dollars in savings_ , how could I pass it up? Well I didn't, and to say I'm now addicted would be an understatement. I've put a shameful amount of hours into the game already xD**

 **P.S - I know that there is a Civilization 6 out now but I prefer 5 xD**

 **Anyways, onto the chapter itself.**

 **I changed the time between Yamamoto's and Ddraig's fight. We learned in the Bleach LN 'CFYOW' that the Soul Society, and Bleach-verse as we know it is a million years old, the time before that was something called the _old-world_. And, through Ikomikidomoe's backstory we know that Yamamoto is a few hundred thousand years old at least, so I figured I'd push his fight with Ddraig back a bit.**

 **Furthermore, I weakened Yamamoto a bit, even I'll admit that saying he was as strong as a Heavenly Dragon in his prime is a bit much considering Ddraig and Albion in their true forms are said to be mid on the top 10 power rankings. So I made Yamamoto strong enough that Ddraig would need to release his full power to win – and that he would crush Yamamoto when he did – but also that Ddraig respects his strength. So Yama-jii is still crazy strong, but not as overpowered as I had him in the original.**

 **Also, I remember it being brought up by a reader in the original version that Katana's couldn't have existed so long ago which made my story unrealistic and so I'll just say this. It's fiction. A story where Gods and Dragons exist. I think it's okay if I bring Katana's into the picture earlier than in actual history.**

 **Anyone who has read 'In Darkness, Reborn' will recognize the name Tsunayashiro, and well, lets just say I really like his character in CFYOW so I added him into this story too xD He will play a fairly large part later on.**

 **Lastly, I also expanded on Ichigo's reiatsu control training a bit, just giving a little more insight into the principle and technique behind it all, something I should've done in the original as well but you know what they say, hindsight is twenty/twenty.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	6. Chapter 6

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 6 -

~ Two months after the announcement of Ichigo's death

When the initial news broke in the Soul Society, it spread like wildfire. Quickly reaching the ears of those who knew him personally, those who had only met him in passing and even those who had heard of him through word of mouth. The common theme, however, from all the people who were aware of the Winter War Hero's mysterious passing was outrage.

To have such news announced only one month after his initial disappearance, a period in which no search teams were sent out to look for him, to now hear that Ichigo had died, and not get even the slightest idea of how or why it happened, it was unacceptable for many Shinigami and they made it known.

Disorder and mayhem quickly broke out in the Seireitei only this time there were no Captains to calm their divisions, no Lieutenants to sooth their subordinates. In this case, with the exception of three, the Captains and Lieutenants were just as lost as their subordinates, they too had no information. Those who had fought, bled and nearly died alongside the orange haired Shinigami were simply told that he was now gone. For unknown reasons, in an unknown location, Ichigo had died, and that was supposed to be the end of it, but it would never be so simple.

The Captain Commander knew this of course, but in such a situation there was nothing he could do. He was forced to sit at the top and lie to all of his subordinates about the truth, to watch his army fall into disarray, to watch anger grab hold of hearts and force voids between once friends and comrades. It was times like these that he wished he no longer held the responsibility of his position, but it was not yet his time to leave the battlefield behind. There was quite simply no one who could replace him, and so he would stay at his place atop the Gotei 13 and bear through the anger and frustration sent his way by the many people who just wanted to know _why_.

* * *

Now it was three months after his initial disappearance and two months since his death, and things had finally settled down. It wasn't back to how it used to be, nowhere near, and it probably wouldn't be that way for a long time, but at least the fires had simmered down, and order had been returned.

The thirteen court guard squads had resumed training, though this time much more rigorously than before. And this time it wasn't just the lower and unseated members, even the Captains had begun to shake off their rust and further hone their skills, no longer resting on their laurels. And all for the purpose of never repeating the same mistake again.

Sure, the true cause of his death was unknown, and thus it was impossible to say whether on not it was actually their fault, but it was the constant nagging in the back of their minds that told them it just might have been which pushed them to grow their strength. If Ichigo had never been forced to enter the supernatural, forced to fight their battles for them, and was able to live out his human life like he was supposed to then maybe he would still be alive right now. Yeah, that would mean they would've never got the chance to met him, but at least he would be alive.

In the human world, things had gone pretty much as expected. Inoue had bawled her eyes out with Tatsuki comforting her. Chad remained silent, but you could see the pain in his eyes as he glared down at his clenched fists. He had trained so hard to stand by Ichigo and watch his back, yet in the end, his strength didn't do anything, his brother had died, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The most surprising reaction of the group came from the stoic and usually arrogant Quincy. Ishida had completely lost his composure, almost instantly reaching across the table to grab a couple of handfuls of the mans haori which was followed by a violent shaking as he demanded answers on Ichigo's location and how they could get there, but they received no answers, Urahara simply let him vent his frustrations. He, just like everyone else knew that no matter the front he put up, Ishida saw Ichigo as a brother just as Chad did.

Ichigo was the leader of their group and the one to draw the Karakura gang together. He was the one who made allies of the Visored and swayed even the coldest of Shinigami hearts, making his cause theirs, he was the one who befriended Hollow's even while they were at war with that very race. Ichigo was always so strong, stronger than anyone, no matter who the enemy was, no matter how bleak the situation looked he always won, and now for him to be gone just like that, it was a tough pill to swallow.

His sisters had taken it the worst of any of them, becoming closed off once more just like how it'd been after Masaki's passing. Isshin tried to comfort them the best he could, but Ichigo's death hit him harder than most thought. He couldn't help but think that it was all his fault, nor could he stop the 'what-ifs' from plaguing his mind. What if he had come clean with Ichigo sooner? What if he had let Urahara awaken his powers and start training him before Rukia had first shown up? Would Ichigo still be there with them? It was something he supposed he would never know the answer too, so all he could do was apologize through his tears to his deceased wife for how he had failed their only son.

Those like Keigo, Mizuiro, Chizuru and everyone who had been close enough to Ichigo and his circle of friends to know the real reason for their prolonged absences had been told before the first day back to school. There was a lot of disbelief among those who knew, but after it had been accepted the tears quickly fell.

The first official day back at school had gone just as expected, their teacher Ms. Ochi had announced it to the class. The cover story which had been agreed on was that Ichigo Kurosaki had been killed during a sneak attack by a group of thugs on his way home from the store over the break, which wasn't all that unbelievable. Understandably, just as with the Soul Society news spread like wildfire, before the day had finished everyone knew about it.

A week later the funeral was held. It was only a small gathering, mostly consisting of Ichigo's friends as well as his father, two sisters and the Urahara Shop staff plus Yoruichi due to Isshin and Masaki's families being tied to the supernatural and nearly – if not completely – wiped out. After everything was said and done, he had been buried right next to his mother.

* * *

Casting one more glance over the training hall he'd spent the better part of seventy days in he couldn't say he was sad to be leaving. As he had guessed – and Ichibē confirmed – the Dojo was much larger than it appeared on the outside, allowing for full-on training between him and his instructor with little worry of space restraints.

Any major damage that was done to the structure like holes in the walls or a section of the ceiling being blown off – which happened quite a lot when he was practicing some of his more destructive techniques – would reveal nothing but an endless white expanse before the Dojo would seemingly repair itself again and block off the nothingness once more from his view.

He'd asked Ichibē about it, but the Monk had told him it would be better not to wander too far away, that his realm was essentially a white Muken, step too far out into the nothingness and you may never find your way back.

After hearing that, Ichigo decided to stay in the comfort – and the safety – of the Dojo.

The first two weeks after his bonding with Ikomikidomoe and return to the Royal Realm were spent doing nothing but the ever tedious and mentally exhausting Reiryoku and Reiatsu control training. He couldn't ever remember doing something so frustrating in his life.

But it was also extremely rewarding when after all of his struggles he'd make some progress. He couldn't help but smile in satisfaction anytime he'd run into one of the other four Royal Guard members, and they'd comment on how restrained – if unstable – his reiatsu was. It was one thing to reign that energy in and hold it there, it was another to calm it so that it would quietly await its master's orders instead of flaring back out again.

Unfortunately, however, Ichigo had run into a bit of a problem that set his control training back a bit. It happened about a week after his training had begun, just a week before he was set to enter the inner sanctum and begin his true training with Ichibē, and it was the first time Ichigo could recall ever seeing the Monk – or 'Oshō' as Ichigo had started calling him – truly stumped.

* * *

~ Flashback

"Why don't you take a break there Ichigo?" A cheery voice called out, smirking further when the only response he received was a heavy sigh and a thud as the teens back hit the wooden floor below him; chest rising and falling as he tried to regain his composure.

"You're making quick progress," he continued, "you've got the basics down so I'd say it's time we step things up a notch."

Propping himself up on an elbow, the teen sent a curious gaze toward the man, "what did you have in mind?"

Seemingly pulling it from thin air, the Monk tossed the sheathed Ikomikidomoe towards the sitting teen who caught it deftly in his hand, receiving an even further confused glance in response.

"Whereas most people benefit from slow, technical and proper training, you due to your unique heritage are the complete opposite. You benefit most from being thrown into the fire, forced past your limits where you have two options; either succeed or fail. I don't see why this should be any different.

Shikai, Bankai, Hollowfication, I don't care what it is, I just want you to release your power to its limits and work on controlling it from there. You're going to work in reverse order to reach the end goal quicker than if you were doing it the normal, drawn out way. Think of it like your Bankai training."

Ichigo nodded in understanding; he'd never like beating around the bush with things, he always looked for the fastest method to get from point a to point b. It was dangerous? So what? As always, he'd just have to make sure he didn't fail.

Jumping up to his feet and drawing his blade he watched curiously as the black sheath dissipated into nothingness in his hand, though he felt as though he could summon it back again if he needed it. Under Oshō's expectant look the teen shook his head lightly and got back on track.

He let his instincts take hold for the next part, his body shifting into a relaxed by alert stance and his Zanpakutō turned downwards, resting on a slight angle across his body, and then.. nothing.

It had slipped his mind for a moment he would admit with a touch of embarrassment, but he had no clue what to actually do in this situation. He'd never had a true Shikai and thus never released a sealed blade, and after learning what he did in his final clash with Zangetsu and the old man he learned that his 'Bankai' wasn't a true Bankai either, just mimicry that paled in comparison to the real thing.

Well, it would stand to reason that when questions about one's Zanpakutō needed answering, they would go to the Zanpakutō spirit themselves, and that was exactly what the teen did, however, it didn't end how he expected... or perhaps it would be better to say that it never began in the first place.

* * *

"What do you mean you don't know either?!" He half-shouted at the woman, the word incredulous not even beginning to describe the way he was feeling at that moment. His brow twitched in annoyance when she merely shrugged uncaringly at him once more.

"I told you didn't I? I wanted nothing new to do with my new existence, and so I shut it all away, including this inner world that we stand in. Shikai? Bankai? Resurrección? Techniques and abilities? I didn't care about any of it. Frankly, I still don't."

Seeing that her young master was at a loss for words the once walking disaster took pity and gave him some reassuring words. "However, I understand that you need to know how my powers work- and their limitations for what it is you wish to achieve, so I will look into things, but I can promise no more."

Ichigo simply nodded his head and gave thanks. She said she would look into things and that was all he could ask of her. All he could do is hope that things go well for she was right; he would need everything he could get if he was going to succeed on this next path.

~ Flashback End

* * *

Upon exiting his inner world and relaying the brief conversation to his temporary Sensei, the man just paused mid beard stroke, his mouth set into a small 'o' shape as he stared blankly toward the teen.

It took only a second for Ichibē's brain to 'reboot,' his lips curling into their usual grin as his hand finishing its pass through his beard, though the confusion didn't leave his eyes. He wasn't shy about it either, directly telling Ichigo that Ikomikidomoe shouldn't need to 'search' for her own powers and that something was odd about it all, before leaving to discuss the situation with Ōetsu, he left the teen with a few parting words.

' _Well, Shikai and Bankai may be out of the question for now, but you still have Hollowfication._ '

Ichigo knew that of course, but he was still hesitant to drag that clawed hand over his face once more.

Yes he knew who Zangetsu truly was now, and he understood and accepted that he was part Hollow, but his mind kept going back to the last couple of times he had worn it. First during his fight versus Yammy after the final confrontation with Ulquiorra on the roof of Las Noches, and then briefly against both Aizen and Gin.

All three times had been so quick, and yet the impact they'd left had been greater than any before. It had felt so heavy on his face, so unnatural, like it wasn't a part of him, simply a layer added onto his reiatsu.

Any hope that it would be different now had been instantly crushed, as soon as it had formed on his face he'd ripped it back off. It was almost as if his reiryoku had rejected the mask, his soul was screaming at him that something wasn't right, and he agreed. It left him feeling disturbed, like there were bugs crawling under his skin, just thinking about it now gave him goosebumps.

And this was where his problem had stemmed from. As of now, he had no Shikai or Bankai to call forth, and he refused to use his Hollowfication until he figured out what was going on with his powers to make it react the way that it did.

So, for the rest of the second week, he just continued the basic reiryoku and reiatsu control training. It wasn't as though he made no more progress, but with every day that passed, the effects were less and less noticeable.

Thankfully, however, just when a change of pace was needed most the two-week mark hit, and with it his seventy day Hell with the head of the Royal Guard began.

* * *

Ichigo learned quickly that the Monk who calls thy real name was no compassionate teacher. He didn't give Ichigo breaks when it looked as though he couldn't go on any longer and he didn't scale down his strength at the start of a lesson, increasing it slowly as the teen grew.

No, he was merciless. A true demon.

Ichibē had wanted to see where Ichigo's combat level was after such a long hiatus from the supernatural, and so their first lesson was to be a 'light spar.' No more than a second after the word 'go' had been uttered he'd received a blow to the gut that knocked the wind from his lungs, an uppercut that shattered his jaw, and a large glowing hand in the sky put him into the ground with such a force that any bone which wasn't already broken from the first two hits had instantly shattered.

If it wasn't for his high-speed regeneration than he would've died faster than he could blink, and the most shocking thing about it all was that the man seemed satisfied with the results. He'd managed to – In that one-second thrashing - assess Ichigo's current level and determined the best starting location for his training. The teen could only wonder how ridiculous this Monk truly was.

Ichigo was, of course, curious as well to the man's assessment of his skills, though he would admit he was disappointed. On a rating scale of Novice, Competent, Proficient, Expert and Master, he didn't have a single skill higher than Expert.

His Zanjutsu was his best combat form sitting firmly in the Expert class, his skills in Hohō were proficient, but his Hakuda was only competent, and his Kidō skill was less than Novice, it was sobering to hear.

Ichibē told him that there were four reasons which accounted for his previous success. The first two were sort of a package deal, and that was Zangetsu's unique ability, supernatural compression. The person forces as much reiryoku into their body and blade as possible allowing them to fight at speeds, and with a strength that others cannot match. All spiritual beings can do this to an extent, but Zangetsu took it to a level way above normal which was why Ichibē called it supernatural compression.

Ichigo's soul was no longer 'Zangetsu,' and as such he no longer had that supernatural compression which boosted his speed and strength naturally, now he was on an even playing field with everyone else.

The third reason for his success was his abundant levels or reiryoku that allowed him to fight at full power, and use high powered techniques repeatedly for great periods of time without tiring. A fact that had only increased now that his true power had been awakened.

The fourth and final reason, and the biggest attributor to his success according to Ichibē was his battle sense. Ichigo was – in Ichibē's words – someone who could hold the title of 'Kenpachi.' The art of battle, the art of killing came as naturally to him as breathing. He'd just always refused to accept it – even though it was always subconsciously there.

The ability to understand an opponents technique even after seeing it only once or twice; to incorporate an opponents movements into his own style and use it against that opponent in the same fight, and all while in the heat of battle. In other words, his _instincts_.

So while Ichigo still had his instincts, and he had more reiatsu than most, he no longer had the boost to speed and strength that allowed him to surpass those with more experience and skill than he had. The day had finally come for Ichigo to start from the ground and build up a proper foundation for his skills.

And for the past seventy days – fourteen in the real world – that's exactly what he did. Ichibē would teach him a skill, be it in Zanjutsu, Hakuda or Hohō, and then proceed to beat him into the ground until he became at least proficient with it, the Monk wouldn't settle for anything less and neither would Ichigo.

Well, even if Ichigo wanted to slack off, it would've been impossible for the longer he took to learn what Ichibē had just shown him, the harder the Monk would come at him. His punches and kicks rattled the teen to his core, and every time their blades crossed if felt as though his arm would snap in two. And if that wasn't hard enough, on the occasion that Ichibē would seriously injure him he wasn't given even a moment to regenerate the wound, the assault would just continue.

The head of the Royal Guard would keep putting him into the ground without remorse, all while holding that same cheery smile.

At one of Ichigo's lower points during their training session, the Monk had decided to explain why he did things the way that he did. He said that if Ichigo couldn't break up his assault with his own skill, then he wasn't trying hard enough and he didn't deserve to heal his wounds.

Ichigo did agree with his mindset, though it didn't mean he enjoyed it.

The only respite he got from the torturous battles was during his Kidō training, and that wasn't without its drawbacks either. Ichigo's biggest issue with Kidō was his lack of finesse – though to be fair his fighting style until now had consisted of pumping reiatsu into Zangetsu and firing off Getsuga Tenshō's – but now that had changed.

The first time he'd tried to use Hadō #33. Sōkatsui, he'd lost both of his eyebrows, though unfortunately, he'd only discovered this fact after Tenjirō dropped by to check on him in Ichibē's stead and he immediately burst into laughter at his appearance.

It was at that moment that Ichigo swore to double his efforts in his pursuit of Kidō mastery. Due to his control training, the number of spells that blew up in his face had decreased though there were still occasions when he'd lose an eyebrow or two, much to his chagrin and the Royal Guard's amusement.

But embarrassment aside it was obvious that the teen was making alarming progress in the four Shinigami arts.

According to Ichibē, the teen was now officially a master swordsman, though he'd made sure to stress the fact that there was still a lot of room for the teen to grow in that regard, and that he shouldn't rest on his laurels just because he'd achieved the highest status.

As well as with his Zanjutsu, the teens Hohō had reached the bare minimum requirements for him to be classed as a master, though it wasn't due to his proficiency with Shunpo itself. If Ichibē was ranking the teen solely on that particular movement technique, then he would be at no more than an expert level.

No, the reason Ichigo had been granted a master status was due to the technique he had created himself, the still nameless combined form of Shunpo and Sonído. With Shunpo, the user can travel varying distances, in any direction, in a single 'step,' it was a very agile form of movement.

Sonído, while not as agile as Shunpo, had its own upsides as well, the first of which is its potential for speed. Aizen's Primera Espada, Starrk, moved with such immense speed that it looked as though he was simply teleporting. The second and even greater ability that Sonído provides is its ability to 'slip past' one's senses.

Ichigo had taken these two forms, combined them, and created something truly frightening. As time passes and he is able to master the advanced techniques shown to him by 'Lightning-Fast Tenjirō' he will reach a level of movement the spiritual world has never seen.

Ichigo's Hakuda was on the cusp of being at an expert level, and he would break through quickly enough, they just didn't have enough time left to reach it now. However, if Ichigo ever wanted to achieve a master status in the art of hand to hand combat than he would need to seek out Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng, both of whom had taken the combat form to heights Ichibē had never seen before.

With tutelage from both of them, it would be possible for Ichigo to one day reach a master status in Hakuda as well, though even for someone with growth rate as immense as Ichigo, the climb to that final plateau would be a tough one.

And finally, Ichigo's Kidō was at a competent level, though it wasn't as bad as it might've sounded. The reason they had made so little progress in that particular combat style was the decision to focus on a couple of the higher tier spells which would serve him better in the situations he'd likely find himself in. The lower tier Hadō and Bakudō spells would certainly be useful to him, but they could be learned at a later date.

So when all was said and done, and the sun was setting on the seventieth day, the teen couldn't say he was anything less than happy with how his training had concluded. Stepping out of the Dojo for what could possibly be the last time he was able to hold himself proudly knowing what he had accomplished inside.

"And with that, I'd say it's about time you get back to Takamagahara, Amaterasu-sama's been tearing out her hair waiting for your training to be over," the bald Monk huffed out, a twinkle of amusement in his eye.

With a soft exhale the teen threw his gaze towards the sky, a smile that spoke volumes of the relief he now felt spreading across his lips, ' _finally, I can go home._ '

And then, that relief he had been longing for was quickly pushed to the side by fear, guilt.

It had been weighing on his mind the whole time, that everyone – his father and sisters, his human friends, Kisuke and Yoruichi, the Shinigami and Visored – thought he was dead. After everything he had undoubtedly put them though, how could he go back there, look them in the eyes and tell them that he'd actually been okay this whole time and just training in another dimension?

He wanted to charge down to Karakura and tell them that he was okay sooner, so badly he did, but he couldn't, he posed too much of a threat in his previous state, the training had to be done.

But even knowing that, the guilt didn't lessen.

" _For such a brash and headstrong young man you sure are a worrywart,_ " a soft voice teased in his ear.

Smiling crookedly at her words he craned his head slightly to meet one of her golden eyes but held his tongue. Instead, he stood silently for a moment, simply enjoying the comforting warmth of her body being pressed into his.

' _I can't help it,_ ' he finally answered, tossing a glance over to the Monk who was stood patiently waiting for him. Judging by the look in his eyes it was likely he knew Ichigo was having an inner debate though he didn't think Oshō knew it was with Ikomikidomoe, considering his lack of reaction to her presence it was likely that she wasn't allowing herself to be visible to him this time.

"Those people you call friends and family place a great amount of faith in you, do they not?" Ichigo nodded, "so perhaps you should do the same, no?"

Ichigo smirked again, was it just natural for Zanpakutō spirits to always know the right thing to say? Old man Zangetsu could always set him on the right path with a few simple words and Ikomikidomoe had just done the same.

' _You're right; I was being stupid. That things played out like this wasn't something I could control, they won't hold a grudge over it, they'll just be happy that I'm alive._ '

Giving the teen a pat on his head like he was some child who required praise she lifted herself from him and smiled sardonically, " _you can always out me as the reason for your death should it come to it, I can assure you than any feelings of malice or scorn they may direct at me for my part in your struggles will be easily disregarded._ "

Ichigo rolled his eyes at her words, ' _of that I have no doubt._ ' With a final shake of his head at the laughter echoing in his mind he stepped toward the Monk who had been patiently waiting for him.

"Sorry about that, Oshō," he said finally coming to stand next to the man, though his concerns were brushed off with a lighthearted wave of the hand.

"Nothing to worry about, your bond with Ikomikidomoe is still quite new, so I'm sure there is a lot you still need to learn about each other, and what better way to do that than communication?" His words earned a nod.

"So what's the plan now?" He affirmed, doubtful that they'd just kick him back to the Heavenly Planes now that his training was complete.

"Hm, well Kirio did mention something about a big feast," he began with a thoughtful hum, "and Senjumaru did have a new Shihakushō for you, so maybe head to Tenjirō's palace first and get cleaned up then make your rounds, you can head back tomorrow morning."

Nodding in agreement the pair began their descent from his palace. Just before the silence could fully take hold around them, however, a question that had been on his mind since his initial trip to the Zanpakutō shrine burst from his lips.

"What was Ikomikidomoe's true name?"

* * *

~ Takamagahara, the next morning

It was business as usual for Tsukuyomi and Susanoo in the higher planes. It was their job to meet with the various faction heads around the world and had just gotten back from a particularly long meeting with Odin, the Allfather of the Norse.

The meeting had gone well enough thankfully, as had the meetings with the other factions. Some of the leaders were more annoyed with the Shinto than others, but the Trinity couldn't really blame them. After keeping to themselves for so long, they finally came back and re-established contact with the major leaders only to abruptly disappear once again.

Unfortunately, they couldn't give the exact reason why they vanished again so suddenly as they didn't think an answer of ' _the powerful young man with the potential to kill a God that we were about to sent down to Earth as our enforcer just died._ ' No, that would most definitely earn them more enemies than friends.

As the two men reached the shared shrine of the Shinto Trinity, they entered to find their sister already present and awaiting their arrival.

"Ah, my sister, how are you feeling?" The young voice of the Moon God, Tsukuyomi, called out as both he and Susanoo came out from behind her throne.

She greeted the pair with a warm smile, happy to have them return. "I am well, anxious but well," she admitted, her brothers quickly nodded in understanding. "I can assure you, however, that I will not let these feeling hinder my work any longer."

The second half of her statement was met with a lighthearted but stern glare from the elder looking Susanoo. "There is no need for you to say such things, I can assure you that both Tsukuyomi and myself have never once been burdened by your state of mind during these turbulent times."

She gave him another grateful smile at the reassuring words, she knew they wouldn't actually hold it against her, but it really was time for her to get back to it. She hadn't been shirking her duties completely, of course, bad things would happen should she do that. However, she definitely hadn't been as public with other factions as she should have.

It was fine having Tsukuyomi and Susanoo meet with everyone, but with how long the Shinto had been out of the game, and with their most recent absence on top of that, it would do well to have her handle some of the politics, she was the head of the Shinto after all.

After the pair had gotten seated in their own respective thrones – one on each side of her – they began the diplomatic talk. "So how did Odin-dono react this time around?"

The God of the Sea and Storms took this question due to his once good friendship with the fellow geezer. "Hm, it wasn't hard to placate things with that old goat, he just wanted to be sure that the Shinto have only plans of peace in mind, with how the alliances of old have been deteriorating as of late I cannot say I blame him."

"Indeed," she replied curtly, lips twisted ever so slightly downward. "And what of the most recent issue?"

"Well as you can guess most of the factions weren't too pleased with our unwillingness to give a reason for the abrupt cutoff but none of them pushed too hard. In the end, they have secrets just as we do and no faction is completely open with its neighbors. It's because of this fact that we were able to get off lightly this time." The other brother answered this time.

Amaterasu herself grimaced at the words. "Yes, it seems we will have to be more careful. Our former relationships have certainly granted us some leeway, but our fellow leaders cannot let things go by lightly forever." Pausing briefly the tension in the room rose slightly, the next topic was one they all wished they could avoid.

If only life was so easy.

"And what of the Devils?" She asked finally, though unsurprisingly she received no answer.

The Devils were the only race that the Shinto had yet to fully reconnect with. Sure they had exchanged some pleasantries through voice communication; however, there had yet to be a true meeting between the heads of each side due to the increasing tensions between the two.

Despite how they constantly talked as if peace was on their agenda, their actions towards the Shinto did not mimic it, not with how they treated her land, the land which she graciously let them use when she had no obligation to do so.

It was only because they stopped accepting human souls as payment for tasks that she eventually relented and gave them permission to set up their little 'territories' on her land, but it would never be so simple as to revoke the contract between them now that they had started to misuse that generosity. It would cause many negative repercussions to ripple out, most of which could, and likely would lead to war.

It was because of this that their plans involving Ichigo had such high hopes, they were going to drop him down right in the middle of the joint Gremory, Sitri territory, and through him, the Devils would get the picture that the Shinto faction was not to be messed with. And, if they still foolishly thought that they could walk all over the Goddess of the Sun's generosity then they would be in for a very rude awakening.

Of course, there was no guarantee that it would've ever worked in the first place as Amaterasu would never try and force Ichigo to do something he didn't want to. So if he had told her that he wished to return to Karakura and continue his life as a normal student whilst returning to his former substitute Shinigami duties, then she would accept his choice and send him back with a smile on her face.

But now, now the Shinto were at the disadvantage. They could either break the contract with the Devils, sending negative ripples throughout the supernatural, or just leave things be and essentially give the Devils permission to keep walking all over them.

"What a troublesome situation," she finally said with a small pout.

The God of the Moon couldn't help but release a small chuckle at his sister's childish reaction. "Sometimes it is necessary to take a risk if the reward is great enough, sadly this time lady luck wasn't on our side, and we may have lost the gamble because of it, but that doesn't mean we're out completely." This comment brought a smile back to Amaterasu's face and a much larger grin to Susanoo's who very much agreed with that statement.

"Exactly! Our faction is not so weak, should it be necessary we could always-" whatever the rest of his sentence had been would have to wait until later, for at that very moment a new presence had entered the Heavenly Planes, a feat that was in simplest terms, impossible, without permission from the Trinity.

"Speaking of gambles," Susanoo continued with a huff, "it seems our major piece has just arrived.

* * *

~ Schatten Bereich

Although the shadow realm was incredibly useful, and he was glad to have learned to use it, he couldn't say he missed the vast expanse of darkness and feelings of loneliness it brought from within him. Ignoring the tingling feeling on the back of his neck with a slight grimace, the teen pushed onward.

That was another thing he disliked about the Schatten Bereich; it felt as though he was being watched every time he set foot in here. By who or from where he couldn't say, any attempts at scouting for a life other than his own always ended in quick failure.

The aphotic darkness surrounding him consumed all light, anything not immediately close to him might as well not even exist for he wouldn't be able to see it. Even the lightly tanned skin of his hand would dull if he extended his arm far enough away from his body.

Catching a light sheen at his waist, the teen turned his eyes toward what Senjumaru had called the 'pièce de résistance' of his Shinigami attire; a satin-like, garnet red Obi which was secured loosely around his waist. His Shihakushō, the latest masterpiece created by the one called 'Great Weave Guard' was also satin-like with its amazingly smooth exterior that soothed the wearer every time their skin brushed its cool surface.

What made the outfit so special wasn't the comfort it brought you while wearing it, it was the reishi threads which were woven intricately throughout the cloth. Reishi threads – Senjumaru's greatest achievement by her word – were long translucent fibers that had been saturated with the super-reishi that existed only in the two Royal Realms.

It was something that to most would sound simple to achieve, but in reality, it had haunted her for hundreds of years, always so close but just out of reach. The Reishi threads – when woven together in other cloths – formed a sort of barrier that diffuses and dissipates energies that come into contact with it. So essentially it could weaken Kidō spells and energy based attacks.

It wasn't impenetrable, of course. A strong enough attack would overwhelm the threads and vaporize them, and physical attacks were unaffected by them altogether. The Royal Guard had amazing defensive clothing made from the Ōken in their bones, but for obvious reasons, such clothing couldn't be mass distributed to the Shinigami in Seireitei. So while these Reishi-threaded Shihakushō's couldn't compare to Ōken clothing, it was a start to better protecting the Shinigami, especially the lower and unseated members of the Gotei.

Sensing that he had reached his destination, he willed the shadows to recede around his form only for a warm embrace to engulf him right after.

' _Amaterasu.._ ' he realized instantly, his own arms circling her waist and drawing her close to him. He'd sort of figured that the Royal Guard wouldn't leave her in the dark about his abrupt return from the dead, though he had been curious as to why she hadn't come by even once. Maybe she didn't want to distract from his training? He didn't know. Shaking the unimportant thoughts away he focused back onto the woman in his arms. It must have crushed her to hear of his fate, and for that he truly was sorry, but he was just happy to be back.

It was.. surprising how much he had missed her, the motherly aura she gave of soothed him in a way he hadn't felt in a long time, eight years to be exact.

Perhaps it because his mother had died when he was so young and he had grown up without with the all-encompassing warmth that was a mother's love that caused him to react the way he did with Amaterasu, but it would be a lie to say that he hadn't missed the feeling. Of course, that wasn't to say that Amaterasu compared to Masaki, or that he was using her as a replacement for her, _no one_ would _ever_ replace Ichigo's mother nor the place she held in his heart, but it was nice to have a motherly figure in his life once more.

Feeling the Goddess of the Sun shift her weight, Ichigo pulled his arms from around her waist and allowed the pair to separate. Stood no more than a foot apart he was met with a brilliant smile and glossy eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I'm happy you are safe, Ichigo," she spoke softly, finally breaking the silence between the two.

Ichigo smiled at her words and nodded, though something grim twisted in the depths of his eyes, "I'm sorry for making you worry," he whispered back.

Amaterasu noticed the darkness of course and frowned softly at the guilt lacing his every syllable, "stop those thoughts right now Ichigo, you have nothing to apologize for," she admonished.

Ichigo's lips curled into a smirk at her words, ' _she even sounds like a mother scolding me like that._ '

Amaterasu quickly matched his expression, amusement swirling in her golden eyes, "much better," happy to see the usual warmth returning to his gaze.

Hearing a thoughtful hum from a distinctly male voice forced the Shinigami to looked past the Goddess at the other two Gods which were accompanying her, the two of which needed no introduction. The first of the two looked distinctly older than the other – though in the supernatural world looks could be deceiving – and he was Susanoo, the God of the Sea and Storms. Stood next to him, with a youthful face and long black hair was Tsukuyomi, the God of the Moon.

The gaze of both men shifted constantly between himself and the blade secured at his waist, curiosity, amusement and something else the teen couldn't quite place.

"I never thought I'd see the day when that blade found a master," the younger of the two spoke up, voice calm. In truth, the man reminded Ichigo a lot of what Byakuya could be like if he took that damn stick out of his ass for a little bit.

Ichigo smiled wryly at his words, "yeah, our initial meeting didn't really go well, but everything worked out in the end."

This time it was the older of the two, Susanoo who spoke up, well he didn't speak per se, instead released a loud and boisterous bark of laughter. "Quite the understatement there boy! If I'm not mistaken she was the reason for your death was she not? Why so dull on the reaction?"

He merely shrugged in response, "eh, I've died a couple of times already, it's not so shocking the third time around." Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ichigo wondered if he should be worried about his utter lack of care for a matter as serious as death, but he quickly pushed the thoughts away.

Both men looked momentarily taken aback by his abrupt and rather crude response to the question, though Susanoo quickly broke out into another fit of laughter, a quieter, more refined laugh escaping his brother as well. Amaterasu didn't look too pleased that they were making light of Ichigo's deaths but ultimately let it pass, she was just happy that he was alive and well.

"My brothers and I would certainly like to hear about everything that has happened in your absence – although a few of the details were already shared with us by the Royal Guard – however, there are a couple more things we must wrap up before we can continue," the Goddess sighed out, unenthused with the idea of more politics.

Nodding at the woman's words, ideas quickly began flooding his mind of things he could do in the meantime. Firstly he'd like to track down Ayame, it had been a while since he'd seen the helpful girl, and he missed her just like he missed any of his friends. Also, he wouldn't mind visiting that Kitsune village again; they were such a friendly and warm group of people, he couldn't help but want to spend time there with them.

With a plan set in his mind, the two groups parted ways, plans to continue their discussion at dinner that night.

* * *

~ Takamagahara, later that evening

Ichigo couldn't help the pleased sigh that had escaped him as sunk into the scalding waters. He was so sore, his muscles, his mind, his very bones, everything was just so sore. Of course, he could've gone on for a lot longer if necessary, but it felt so nice to relax after everything that had happened, to let all of the stress and weariness wash away.

Well, to a certain extent.

As much as he tried to enter a state with no thoughts, a moment of respite away from everything that had happened since coming to Takamagahara, it wouldn't come, there was just too much on his mind.

A grim countenance eased its way onto his face as his thoughts shifted once more to his friends and family back in Karakura, the very people who were most likely still mourning his 'death.' Ichigo would get back to them soon and set things straight; he had to, he doubted his conscious could take the guilt much longer.

Shifting his body forward in the hot spring, he exhaled a heavy breath as his torso sunk back into the water. Only when his form was fully submerged in the soothing warmth – head included – did the exhale cease, the remaining air in his lungs needed to keep himself comfortably submerged.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the muffled sounds of running water and the heavy clunk of the sōzu fountain that sat opposite of the spring he was using.

He wasn't even out of his teens, and yet he felt so old, so mentally exhausted. It all started with the learning of his true heritage, the fact that his mother was a Quincy and his father a Shinigami of noble descent, both of them Shinketsu, or _true blood_. And, as if that wasn't enough, through Aizen's machinations a Vasto Lorde class Hollow had been thrown into the equation as well, all of it coming together to create the freak of nature that was Ichigo Kurosaki.

After fighting countless uphill battles and dying twice only to be brought back because the fighting was not yet finished. After being forced to carry the burdens of three separate worlds on his shoulders in a fight against a megalomaniac who had stepped into a realm of incomplete Godhood. After all of that, he was tired, sort of fed up with it all too, but it didn't end there.

Then, as if he hadn't done enough already, he was forced to sacrifice a part of his soul in pursuit of a forbidden technique that would hopefully be enough to do what apparently no one else could. Ichigo scoffed underneath the surface of the water before finally relenting and lifting himself out of it again, returning to his former seated position.

He didn't know what the Bankai's of the elder Shinigami did – people tended to not go around revealing all of their trump cards in front of potential future enemies – but even still, he had a hard time believing that _none_ of them could've used theirs, that they couldn't have tried _something_ to save him from the fate he was willingly walking towards.

But they didn't.

So he pushed onward, sacrificed part of his soul and went back to an utterly hellish life without powers.

Skip ahead a few months, and he found out that the world he thought he knew was no more than a farce, that the three worlds he gave part of his soul to protect wasn't even that half of it. It was pretty surreal to learn that not only did the Goddess of the Sun exist, but he was only still alive because she had saved him on the night Grand Fisher had attacked him and his mother. Zangetsu's final lesson and goodbye's, the truth of his sealed power and its awakening, his return to Ikomikidomoe.

What a wild journey this past couple of years had been, and even though there had been just as many – if not more – down than there had been ups, he wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

After recalling everything that had happened, the only question which remained on his mind was what now. His powers were back, so would he just return to Karakura and continue going to school while taking up his duties as a substitute Shinigami once more? It was the most obvious choice, but in truth, it didn't feel like the right choice.

If he was honest, the event that stood out the most since his delve into the supernatural world wasn't becoming a Shinigami, nor breaking into the Soul Society to save Rukia, certainly not entering Hueco Mundo to rescue Inoue or even sacrificing part of his soul to defeat Aizen.

No, for Ichigo the greatest highlight was finding out everything that truly existed in this world. The knowledge that there was something more pulled at him without relent, a constant nagging in the back of his mind that wouldn't leave no matter how much he shouted at the tempting whispers. He wanted to go home and see his family, his friends, to tell them that he was alright, to apologize for worrying them so, but did he want to stay there?

As bad as it may sound, no he didn't.

" _It is not wrong for you to feel that way, Ichigo. Ever since you were young you have been bound to Karakura by family and friends, and later by your duty as a Shinigami. It is not wrong for you to wish to spread your wings and explore the world around you._ "

The teen nodded slowly at Ikomikidomoe's words. He understood and agreed with his Zanpakutō's wisdom, though agreeing and actually taking action were two very different things when it came to someone like Ichigo who was far to selfless for their own good.

Ikomikidomoe who had gotten to know her wielder quite intimately since their bonding understood this all too well. " _You must start making decisions for yourself Ichigo, not others. You feel that after the pain you have unintentionally put your family and friends through, that you are unworthy of the happiness you yourself would feel from freedom, but that couldn't be further from the truth._ "

A soft knock on the door to Ichigo's bath broke off any more words that would've been said between the pair, but nonetheless, Ikomikidomoe said what she needed to and had gotten her point across. All that was needed at this point was for Ichigo to stew on her words and come to his own conclusion, though the once great Hollow knew it would be the right one.

"Ichigo-sama your clothing has been prepared, and Lady Amaterasu, Lord Susanoo, and Lord Tsukuyomi are awaiting your arrival," the soft voice of Ayame spoke, slightly muffled by the door which separated them.

"Alright, I'll be out shortly, thank you," was the simple reply he gave back. He had long since understood that the '-sama' suffix wasn't going away anytime soon and thus resigned himself and accepted it.

No more than five minutes later he was back in his room, dried off and feeling refreshed. Glancing toward the top of his dresser he was pleased to see his Shihakushō neatly folded atop it, his garnet Obi carefully placed beside it.

He would admit that he was eager to don his Shinigami attire once again, the outfit had become so familiar to him in the couple years he'd charged through the supernatural, it was so natural, it just felt right to be in those black robes.

Sliding the sealed Ikomikidomoe into the sash at his waist he gave himself a once-over in the nearby mirror and smiled.

* * *

With a nod to his usual guide after stepping out of his room, the pair eased themselves through the manor halls.

As they moved in comfortable silence, one thing stood out to Ichigo, the lack of that familiar weight across his back. Through thick and thin, all of the ups and downs during his time as a Shinigami, the one constant was Zangetsu, that easily recognizable slab of metal he called a sword. Now he had an endless, somewhat unstable mass of energy at his left hip that frightened him just as much as it soothed him.

Smirking softly at the indignant grumbling coming from his soul Ichigo turned his attention to the girl at his side. "So how have things been since my departure?"

Ayame cocked her head slightly, giving him a brief glance before facing forward once more. "Not well, Ichigo-sama. The cheerful mood you felt upon arrival only returned to Takamagahara when the Royal Guard informed us of your surprising return to life. Your assumed death had caused our Lady quite the grief, and when the Sun is wrought with sadness, the world too is enveloped in darkness."

She caught the brief falter in his lengthy stride from the corner of her eye as well as the downcast look that covered his features. He did well to hide it, but now that he was no longer burdened by that perpetual scowl it was easier to read the young mans emotions. Well, even if he did still wear that ever serious look on his face, Ayame was confident that she knew the young man well enough to guess how he was feeling.

Sure, before his initial arrival to the Heavenly Planes she had never met him, but she had been Amaterasu-sama's personal aid for many decades. And, ever since that night so many years ago in which Amaterasu broke all of the rules, jeopardizing the balance of the worlds just to save a young child's life, it had been Ayame that Amaterasu confided in about everything that was Ichigo Shiba.

In all honestly, Lady Amaterasu had been obsessed with watching him. Every moment that she had free from the Supernatural world of business and politics would be spent in her garden watching the young Ichigo struggle, persevere and grow through the worlds eye.

Ayame would admit to being quite interested in his life as well, often finding herself just as absorbed in watching him charge through life as her Lady was. It was because she knew so much about him, what he had been through, how he had struggled and still come out on top that she respected him so much, that she felt so honored to be in the presence of a hero such as himself.

Even if he would never refer to himself as one.

"You have no need to feel so burdened, Amaterasu-sama knew of the risks should she follow through with the plan to return your powers to you," though he offered no verbal response, she could see that her worlds had placated him somewhat, a sure sign of him maturing.

Upon reaching the door where the Trinity waited for him, memories of his first meeting with Amaterasu came to his mind, and this one would no doubt be different. The easygoing mood of the first would no longer be so present; this time there were more serious matters to discuss.

Namely an explanation for how he had come back from death, or a point just before it to be more precise. The cryptic words of Zangetsu still hung in his head about this so-called mystery savior.

After that would be the discussion regarding his future. He would need to see his family and friends once more to set things straight, but then what? He had been announced dead in the human world thus his chances of going back to Karakura to finish schooling was almost null; he would either have to go abroad or wear a Gigai that completely changed his appearance and re-enroll under a false name.

The later of the two options didn't appeal to him in the slightest, and while going abroad sounded interesting, he wasn't sure if that was the right answer for him either.

More so, he had a feeling deep down that he was about to be offered a position which would change his life forever should he accept. It wasn't that he doubter Amaterasu's intentions per se, but for her to go through all this trouble returning his powers just to send him back home, it didn't add up.

Well, he supposed he would find out right now anyways. As the twin shoji doors opened up, he was met with a room much larger than the one they previously met in. Whereas before there was a modestly sized floor level throne and a small table with cushions set out for people to sit on, this was much grander.

The overall size of the room was likely similar in square footage to the whole first floor of his home. The shoji panels that made up the wall holding the door he entered from, as well as the wall on the left side of the room were pure white, the wall opposite of the entrance while also shoji was decorated in artworks depicting the three Gods before him, famous moments from Shinto history that he could remember seeing in books as a kid. The final wall on his right-hand side was lush with plants and flowers, a living wall so to speak.

Servants lined the wall on his left, ready and willing to attend to whatever desire the three before him may have had. The three themselves were sat at a large, oval-shaped table with Amaterasu in the middle giving him a warm and motherly smile. The younger looking black-haired man seated to her left was also directing a gentle smile in his direction, much like the ones Ukitake would always give him when he visited the Soul Society. On her right, the third member of the Trinity, an elderly looking man with white hair was not smiling, just watching the teen with an intense gaze.

As Ichigo was directed to a seat opposite the Goddess, she began to speak. "I believe some formal introduction are in order, Ichigo," she began as he settled into his chair. "I am Amaterasu the Goddess of the Sun, Head of the Shinto Trinity and its Faction as well as the Commander of the Royal Guard which holds authority over the Seireitei and the Shinigami."

On her right, the wrinkled man let out a huff of air before straightening in his seat, "my name is Susanoo, Ichigo Shiba, I am the God of the Sea and Storms and head trainer of all those who are permitted entrance into the Royal Guard."

And last but not least, the youthful male took his turn. "I am Tsukuyomi, the God of the Moon and my role in Takamagahara is as the head of foreign relations between supernatural factions."

When the introductions were over, Ichigo awkwardly tipped his head forward in acknowledgment, unsure he was supposed to re-introduce himself as well. "Uh, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, well I guess Ichigo Shiba would be more correct in this situation, I am- was a substitute Shinigami, though I guess I am again now.." he trailed off, embarrassed by his appalling introduction.

Amaterasu nodded briefly in acceptance of his introduction, awkward as it may have been. "I'm sure you've noticed that while here none have called you by your mother's maiden name, only your father's surname, I can assure you that it is not meant to be disrespectful to your mother.

The Shiba Clan has always been the most well respected and highly regarded of the five great noble families by the denizens of Takamagahara and the Soul Society, their warm disposition to all, no matter what race or social class they belonged too was- and still is something rare for noble families – especially among the great five – who treat those who are 'different' or those they deem 'lesser class' like no more than common trash," the Goddess' nose wrinkled up slightly in distaste as she spoke those words.

It was common for those with high positions to look down on others, it was a truth that she did not like, but one she didn't hold the power to change herself.

With a soft 'tsk' under her breath, she brought her thoughts back to the subject at hand. "Due to Sōsuke Aizen's machinations, the Shiba's fell from grace in the Soul Society, however, to those up here who know the truth, your clan is still held with as much love as before- no, perhaps even more. And for you, you who is the spitting image of what it means to be a Shiba and the next heir to the clan, it couldn't be any truer.

The deeds you have done Ichigo, the lives you have saved.. it is all known to those under my light."

He was speechless. He'd never really noticed it back then, but now it all came together. Whenever he'd visit one of the local villages, it wasn't as though he was a stranger blowing in from somewhere else, the people who lived here seemed so familiar with him, so warm and welcoming when they had no reason to be.

He'd first thought that they were just naturally friendly people, it would make sense considering the peaceful life they led in Takamagahara under the Shinto Trinity, but looking back on it now it was clear to see that there was something more in the warm smiles they directed at him.

Ichigo grimaced slightly at her words. He appreciated the warm opinions people had of him, and he was thankful that his actions thus far had had a positive impact, but.. ' _I'm no Hero._ '

He was thankful that none of the three seemed interested in pursuing the subject further, though their knowing looks told him that they likely knew what had run through his head. Shifting his thoughts to something else the Goddess had said, he couldn't help but grimace again. ' _I know Goat-face was the head of the Clan at some point, but I didn't know I was next in li_ _n_ _e after he went AWOL. I wouldn't know the first thing about leading a Clan, let along one of the five great noble clans.._ '

"I don't think I'm the right person for a position like that," he said finally.

"You shouldn't sell yourself short Ichigo. I, for one, believe you would do a fantastic job as Clan head but that is neither here nor there, we have gathered for a different reason after all."

"Sister is right; if you don't mind we would like to hear a little more about what happened to you in the false inner world," Tsukuyomi cut in, "we heard a little of the situation from Tenjirō but are curious about a couple of things. Of course, we're aware that what happened between you and Zangetsu is private and that you will likely wish to keep most of it to yourself, but if you can tell us anything about your death by the very blade that now rests on your hip, and the one who Zangetsu said saved you it would be much appreciated."

Ichigo nodded at the man's words, though the apologetic look in his eyes didn't bode well for the three Gods. "I'm sorry, but I told Ichibē and the others all that I knew regarding it. All I know is that someone halted my place in time and space, set my soul into stagnation so that I could survive long enough to meet with the memory of Zangetsu who healed me. He and the old man both refused to say anymore, and Ikomikidomoe claims that she doesn't know anything."

The three Gods looked disappointed that there was no more he could share as it would certainly make their task of finding the truth more difficult. The deep frown on the Goddess' beautiful features spoke volumes of this.

' _There are only a handful of people in this world who can complete tasks of such magnitude that they defy death, and none of them bode well for our situation. Satan and the God of the Bible are dead which rules them out. Hades is an evil and detestable creature who would much rather take lives than save them, I cannot see him being the one to interfere, though if it was than I doubt it was for a good reason. The two Dragon Gods_ _–_ _the Apocalypse Dragon and the infinite Dragon_ _–_ _are possibilities, though while they aren't evil in nature, they care nothing of this world and prefer to stay in the silence of the dimensional gap thus both of them are unlikely._ '

"I won't lie to you Ichigo, the fact that some unknown entity saved you bothers me. I have idea's on who it might've been, but each of them is so improbable and ridiculous that I just cannot bring myself to accept it," she admitted with a shake of her head. "Just know you have nothing to fear, we will protect you no matter what.

The conviction in her eyes and the eyes of her brothers was clear to see, and he appreciated it, but deep down he was bothered by the current events. If whoever had saved his really was bad news, so much so that he requires protection from the Shinto Trinity than he would need to grow stronger.

He didn't regain his power so he could be protected, but so that he could protect others.

A silence took over the room after that grim bit of information had been told, the Trinity in particular held sour faces at the possibility of one of the old Gods moving behind the scenes.

The servants lining the side wall took this break in the conversation as a cue to begin moving in that evening's dinner, something Ichigo appreciated since he hadn't eaten anything yet that day, well if you didn't count the baked good he received from the village wives at least.

* * *

"So tell us Ichigo, what are your plans for the future? Will you be remaining in Takamagahara for some time yet? You are more than welcome to stay," Susanoo spoke simply, not trying to hide the implication from his words.

"First and foremost I'm going to see my family and friends, set things straight with them, though I suppose that isn't what you meant, is it?" He asked, earning a cheeky grin from the elderly looking God. ' _Well, I knew this was coming eventually so let's hear it._ ' Slowly the corner of his own mouth twisted in an almost unnoticeable smirk, almost, the three across from him noticed it quickly. "I suppose it all depends, there wouldn't happen to be something you'd like to say to me pertaining that decision, would there?"

"Indeed there is. I won't beat around the bush with this Ichigo, My brothers and I would like you to be the front line peacekeeper and representative for the Shinto Faction, a position that we three cannot fill for obvious reason."

" _An enforcer then?_ " Ikomikidomoe cut in mentally, the face-splitting grin she wore easily decipherable in her voice. " _I think you should say yes! They're essentially giving you free reign to slaughter anyone who disturbs the words peace, and their backing would stop most who would try to oppose you on your mission!_ "

' _There will be no slaughtering,_ ' Ichigo answered flatly, a slight roll of his eyes sent mentally her way. It was surprising how easily he forgot that his new partner was essentially a psychopath. She was always so warm and affectionate with him that he'd be lulled into a false sense of security, then as soon as a potential fight was mentioned she'd shift to blood and gore, death and slaughter.

" _You make me sound so bad,_ " Ikomikidomoe pouted, her voice unsteady as if she were a breath away from tears.

Ichigo simply rolled his eyes again, this time more prominently. ' _You are bad,_ ' he finished, completely aware that her 'hurt feelings' were nothing more than a load of crap, the sound of highly amused laughter echoing in the depths of his soul only confirmed it further.

"Y'know, it's not that your offer sounds bad or anything, but I've never been all that good at following orders," he finally answered, directing his attention back toward the three in front of him as his Zanpakutō continued to lose herself in a fit of giggles.

Much like when they had first met, Susanoo burst out into a peal of heavy laughter that filled the room, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi followed suit, just in a more reserved manner. "I'm well aware Ichigo, that is why your position would be somewhat.. unique."

"Oh? I'm listening."

* * *

Ichigo had to wonder just who he pissed off in a past life to keep getting this shit thrown at him, though some would argue – and he couldn't really deny – that most of the time he was the one who went looking for trouble and not the other way around.

He just cared too much, wanted to help as many people as he could thus he stuck his nose places it shouldn't be and got dragged into – inserted himself into – battles and disputes he had no real business being a part of.

It was no wonder that people said he had a hero complex.

It was quite dark out now but he didn't care, he still stepped from his room and into the garden of Amaterasu's manor. Ignoring the cold air that bit at his skin his mouth twisted downward in a sour manner. He was supposed to be going home right now, seeing his family and friends, setting things straight, but that wasn't what was currently happening.

After offering him the unique position – one that he was likely to accept no matter what his future plans were as it would help him no matter where he was, Karakura or the New World – they told him about the current situation on the other side.

In a nutshell, tensions between faction were at an all-time high, and a group of Fallen Angels let by Kokabiel – a Cadre class combatant and one of the leaders of the Grigori – were stirring up trouble with the Angels and Devils hoping to provoke another great war.

Despite the threat looming over all their heads, however, Ichigo was still going to say no, for now at least. He had gotten his powers primarily to protect his family and friends, only when they were safe would he reach out and save those around him, but it was always his family first. And initially, that was how he was going to treat this too.

He would head back home and see everyone, maybe stay for a week or two then head over to the other side and deal with Kokabiel, but then he did the one thing he never should've, he asked for details.

Where they were going to send him, what supernatural beings were there, what were they like, those kinds of questions. It was the answers to those basic questions that had swayed his heart, filling him with an incessant rage toward the Devil society, two Devils in particular, and a feeling of sorrow for those tricked into their servitude.

* * *

~ Flashback, three hours prior

"We were meeting with the four Satan's of the underworld, though it didn't go all that well," Tsukuyomi said, exasperation clear in his voice at the reminder, "the Shinto and Devils have never quite seen eye to eye."

Nodding at the man's words, it didn't take long for Ichigo to think of a reason why that might be. "Is it because they ask for souls as payment?" Amaterasu saw all Japanese people as her children so it would be no surprise if she were bothered by someone claiming their souls.

The Goddess of the Sun gave a mirthless smile, " that was one of the reasons, yes, thankfully it is a practice they no longer follow, however.." she paused briefly, expression shifting to something darker. "A Devil is a Devil whether they want peace or war, just because they have knocked a bad habit or two doesn't mean they've fully turned a new leaf. No matter how alluring their words are, the end reward is never as sweet as their words first make it seem, always remember that Ichigo."

And remember he would.

"So where would I be going?" He asked, shifting the direction of their conversation. Perhaps he would touch on that original subject in a bit, but the dark look in Amaterasu's eyes told him to drop it for now.

"We would be sending you to a town called Kuoh, a little way south of Osaka. You would also be transferred into their Kuoh Academy a week or so after your arrival giving you time to scout out the town and familiarize yourself with your new home."

Now Ichigo wasn't stupid, but things did tend to slip by him from time to time, and much to his embarrassment a home had been one of those things this time around. It didn't even occur to him that if he went through with their plan and acted as their enforcer that he would need a place to stay, and a way to pay for that place.

Although if he was reading her words correctly than it sounded like they would be preparing a place for him, a gesture he greatly appreciated. He could only hope that it wasn't an overly luxurious place that would cause him to stand out.

The God of the Sea and Storms couldn't help but chuckle at the apprehension in the teen's eyes. "Worry not my boy, we know that you prefer living a modest lifestyle, so we prepared a modern two bedroom apartment for your use should you need it."

Ichigo couldn't help but sigh in relief at the assuring words, much to the amusement of the Trinity. "I'd have to look into getting a part-time job then; I couldn't impose on you guys any more than that-"

"Nonsense! You'll be much too focused on schooling and other matters to deal with some lousy job, we will take care of all expenses for you," he stated matter of factly, leaving no room for debate. "More so, we'll assign someone to take care of the home when you are out, things such as keeping you stocked with food and other supplies, cleaning, and repairs should something.. unfortunate occur."

Ichigo wasn't sure what to say, he was appreciative, of course, but he felt as though it was all too much for him. He also knew how stubborn these three were however and that held his tongue, he knew that they wouldn't budge no matter how much he tried to persuade them so instead he just smiled gratefully.

"So why Kuoh specifically?"

"A good question," Tsukuyomi replied, head nodding in approval. "It isn't the town itself that matters, but instead those who inhabit it. Kuoh is a joint Devil territory under control of the Devil Heiress' to the Gremory and Sitri Clans."

' _Oi Oi.. are they trying to start a political shitstorm here?_ ' He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Won't this create some pretty major problems? I mean, I know that Japan is _your_ territory, but it's no secret that those girls are residing there right? You can't just drop me right in the middle of them and call it an accident."

"Yes, once your true identity and affiliation with the Shinto were to come to light, it would certainly cause waves, but that's the point." A mischievous light entered Amaterasu's eyes as she spoke these words, a look that Ichigo wasn't quite sure he liked.

"We devised this plan for two reasons," she continued. "The first was so that we may regain a foothold in the supernatural and have someone who could play an active part in it. The second was simply to send a message, a message to the Devils and every other faction of this world that the Shinto are not to be trifled with."

Ichigo merely shook his head, mock exasperation and a wry smile playing on his lips. "Okay, so tell me more about this place, the school I'd be attending. I'm assuming both these girls hold high positions within, right?"

"Correct. Sona Sitri- or Souna Shitori as she goes by in the human world is the Student Council President, and the rest of the council's members are made up of students from her peerage. Rias Gremory, on the other hand, is the president of a club, the "Occult Research Club' which merely stands as a front for their Devil activities. As with Sona Sitri, the Occult's club members are made up of students from her peerage.

The school itself is a very prestigious academy and was, until this year, an all-girls school." Tsukuyomi couldn't help but pause, a huff of laughter escaping him at Ichigo's reaction to that bit of information. He was always so serious and yet so expressive when it came to such trivial matters.

' _You've got to be kidding me.. of all the schools around it had to be one that recently turned co-ed?_ ' Dragging a hand down his face he took a deep breath and calmed down, there was no point getting bothered just yet, for all he knew, lady luck might've actually been on his side for once, and the school would've had a massive influx of boys thus evening out the numbers.

"Well, what's the ratio of boys to girls?"

With a crooked smile, Susanoo replied, "it's about four to one." A choking sound was all he heard in response from the teen, however, deciding that there was more fun to be had he continued, "don't go giving out on me yet boy, we haven't even gotten to the best part. A vast majority of the boys there are all perverts who transferred thinking they could get an easy harem."

"..fuck me."

Who did he piss off in a past life? He'd been raised to respect woman and treasure them, that was how he had lived until now. Most people saw it as him being a prude, but that wasn't it, he just didn't believe in sleeping with everyone woman that would join him in bed, to him it was meaningless. It was because of his mother that he hated the very kinds of perverts he would be attending school with should he go through with this grand plan.

But, he also knew that while it was a good mindset to have, the supernatural carried different morals compared to humans. Whereas harems were something looked down upon – and in some places outright illegal – for those of the supernatural, whose lifespans greatly outlasted any mortal, it could be completely different.

If that was the case, then for nothing more than peace he would need to be tolerant.

Seeing that the Trinity had settled down from their laughter at his misery, he figured it was time to get back to business. "Earlier you said that 'just because they have knocked a bad habit or two doesn't mean they've fully turned a new leaf,' what did you mean by that?"

Instead of verbally responding, the Goddess signaled to one of the aids stood at the side of the room who proceeded to place a brown folder on the table in front of him. He glanced at the three curiously, but asides from downcast looks directed at the folder before him they gave nothing away.

Upon opening the folder and reading through its contents, he froze, blood pumping through his veins as he struggled to rein in the tempestuous anger bubbling with.

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Yuuto, Kiba [Current] Isaiah [Former]_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Former]_

 _Sacred Gear: Sword Birth_

 _Information: An orphan claimed by the church for participation in the 'Holy Sword Project,' was deemed a failure by Valper Galilei who planned to have Isaiah's group killed with poison and disposed of._

 _If action had been taken quickly enough, his life could've been saved with an antidote. Sirzechs Lucifer delayed the report to his sister until the poison was too far spread so that she may reincarnate him under the premise of salvation._

 _Subject Status: Reincarnated as a Knight in the service of Rias Gremory_

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Hyoudou, Issei_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Former]_

 _Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear_

 _Information: A normal human teenager with no knowledge of the supernatural or the Sacred Gear he possesses. Fallen Angels had begun to target him for elimination under false orders. Rias Gremory was made aware of the situation and on the day in which Hyoudou was set to meet his date (a Fallen in disguise) she summoned and sent her familiar to wait at the spot in which they would be meeting._

 _Our initial theory was that she would have her familiar hand him a flyer imbued with summoning magic that would allow her to teleport to his side once the attack began, this would give her grounds to eliminate the Fallen Angel._

 _Our hypothesis was incorrect; the summoning magic only activated once the boy had been brought to the brink of death. Rias Gremory offered to save him only under the condition that he becomes her servant. He accepted._

 _Subject Status: Reincarnated as a Pawn in the service of Rias Gremory_

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Argento, Asia_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Former]_

 _Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing_

 _Information: After being abandoned by the church for healing a Devil she was roped in with a band of Fallen Angels, the same one's targeting Issei Hyoudou. Upon coming to Kuoh Town, she befriended the Hyoudou boy, unaware of who he was or her superiors plans._

 _A ritual was performed by the head of their group which removed Twilight Healing from her, essentially killing her. Rias Gremory who was present with her whole peerage could have quickly dispatched the Fallen and returned her Sacred Gear before her life completely faded away, she did nothing._

 _Subject Status: Reincarnated as a Bishop in the service of Rias Gremory_

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Toujou, Koneko [Current] Shirone [Former]_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Nekomata (Nekoshou) [Former]_

 _Sacred Gear: N/A_

 _Information: Shirone and her elder sister Kuroka were members of the late Zekael Naberius' peerage. The Naberious Clan Head wished to tap into the legendary powers both sisters possessed as part of the rare 'Nekoshou' breed and thus began experimenting on the elder of the two._

 _Kuroka succeeded in awakening these powers and as such the Naberius head had planned to begin experiments on Shirone next, Kuroka having discovered this planned to free her sister._

 _On the night experiments were set to start, after countless failed attempts to dissuade the Clan Head from experimenting on her sister while she was still so young, Kuroka slaughtered Zekael Naberius and his entire peerage._

 _Kuroka was nearly caught but managed to escape. She is now listed as an SS class stray Devil._

 _The other heads of the remaining seventy-two pillars wished for Shirone to be killed so that another tragedy like that could never occur again. Sirzechs Lucifer has covered up the truth of the matter, the agreed on story is that while drunk on power Kuroka killed her master and fled the underworld._

 _Sirzechs has claimed that he will transfer Shirone into his younger sister's peerage where she may 'watch over' the young Nekomata who shouldn't suffer for the sins of her elder sister._

 _Subject Status: Reincarnated as a Rook in the service of Rias Gremory_

* * *

If it wasn't for the hellish training he'd been put through by Ichibē, then Amaterasu's manor would've been instantly leveled by the mass of reiatsu he was just barely managing to contain. Instead, the edge of the table his right hand was latched onto simply shattered under his grip, his fingers tearing through the wood as if it were paper.

He was completely silent, unmoving in his seat, only the light trembling from his growing anger would tell you that he was more than a statue.

' _Why?!_ ' He just couldn't fathom it.

"They weren't even given a choice!" He roared, fist slamming off the table as he finally started giving into the emotions within. "How could they play with someone's life like that?!" Again his hand came down on the table, the wood creaking further from the onslaught. "To let someone be poisoned! To let someone be cut down! To let someone feel the pain of being on death's door! And for what?! To become someone's servant?!"

Ichigo knew what it was like to die, what it was like to be on that doorstep waiting for sweet nothingness. He knew what it was like as you lay there helplessly, the terror that courses through you as you wait for your life to end is worse than any torture someone could put you through. It was the worst thing he'd ever experienced, and yet these people just toyed with those feelings.

"Don't fuck with me.." he spoke quietly, anger quickly ebbing allowing a deep sadness to come forth.

Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo remained silent, looking toward the teen with sorrowful eyes as he vented his frustrations. The damage done was irrelevant to the Trinity, they couldn't blame him for reacting the way that he had as they had felt the same emotions he was going through the first time they had found out about the tragic cases as well, they understood.

"And what of that girl Shirone.." he continued in a soft voice, gaze downcast, "lied to by the only people she thinks she can trust, told that her sister – the only family she had left in this world – was a monster that got lost in her own power when in reality she was just trying to save her from the same horrid fate she was forced to go through.."

He just couldn't understand it. If someone tried to turn Yuzu or Karin away from him like that he didn't know how he'd react.. but the one thing he was sure of, was that when the dust settled after everything he probably wouldn't be proud of it.

"Amaterasu.." he called out suddenly, voice hoarse and tendrils of black slinking in his eyes, "I'll do it, let me go to Kuoh.."

~ Flashback End

* * *

Sensing a familiar presence behind him and a light tugging on his shoulders he fell backwards, landing on the ground with a deceptively light impact he sighed out in contentment. The soothing warmth from Ikomikidomoe's lap was quickly spurring on his drowsiness.

" _I do hope that you won't be brooding over this decision,_ " she teased lightly, slitted eyes bearing down on her master, " _your troublesome penchant for producing rain when you are bothered has seemingly transferred to my inner world as well.. I do not like being rained on Ichigo._ "

The teen's lips quirked up at her words, ' _of course that of all things would come along for the ride,_ ' he mused. "I won't brood, don't worry," he finally answered. "I made the choice to head to Kuoh first, and so that's what I'll do. Besides, I need to speak to Ichibē again, so it all works out, I won't let him get off with not telling me so easily."

At the reminder of her wielders earlier gesture, a touch more warmth entered the Zanpakutō spirits eyes. She had never expected him to ask what her old name was, it didn't really matter what it was anymore, and yet he had. The Monk had for obvious reasons refused to say it, but the gesture was appreciated.

* * *

It had been two days since his last meeting with Trinity. He' felt mentally exhausted after everything was said and done and wanted to just kick back and relax for a day, well not fully relax, he'd still done some light training, but that was soothing in its own way for him.

The Trinity had actually called to meet with him again today to discuss the possibility of pushing his departure back another week, but he turned it down saying he was alright. So now here he was in Amaterasu garden with her and her two brothers preparing to set off on his next journey.

"Are you sure you're alright Ichigo? I don't mind pushing your transfer into Kuoh Academy another week.."

Ichigo smiled softly at the woman before him; she really worried like a mother. "No, I'm fine really," he answered with a light shake of his head. "I won't deny that pushing my family to the side is bothering me, but I have the potential to help a lot of people right now, and if I don't grasp that chance I may miss it altogether.

Right now everyone thinks I'm dead," he had to pause briefly to grimace at those words, "whether I come back now or in a couple of weeks won't change anything, they'll just be happy that I'm alive and well. And I know my family, I know my friends, they would never hold it against me for trying to save someone."

Amaterasu smiled and nodded in agreement, an action that Tsukuyomi and Susanoo both mimicked. His determination was clear and as such there was nothing more to say.

Starting slowly and growing in radiance as the seconds passed an intricately constructed golden magic circle started to form beneath Ichigo's feet. The man in question was watching it intently, fascinated by this form of magic that he'd only seen a handful of times.

"Just push some reiatsu into the circle, and it will bring you to your apartment."

He nodded, meeting gazes with each of the three and giving a final smile. "I'll come back for a visit soon, and if something happens on the other side then don't hesitate to tell me."

The God of the Moon smiled amusedly at his words. It was so like Ichigo, one world wasn't enough for him to protect, but that was one of the things that made him, him. "Of course, we look forward to seeing you again."

With that, he fed a little bit of reiatsu into the circle, and waited as the golden glow began to consume him, however, much to the surprise of everyone present he suddenly stopped. "Amaterasu," he spoke slowly, head tilted forward so that his bangs shielded his eyes.

Somehow the Goddess of the Sun knew she wouldn't like what he was about to say, "yes, Ichigo?"

"Who is in charge of maintaining the sinners of Hell, making sure they don't get out and what not."

' _Oh dear.._ ' she thought to herself, glancing discreetly at her two brothers it was obvious they knew what this was about as well. 'Yuzu and Karin are lucky to have a brother who cares so deeply for them,' Amaterasu just hoped he wouldn't do anything rash. He already had a very low opinion of the crimson Lucifer, and now he would know that it was the same man's blunder which almost lost Ichigo's sister to the chains of Hell.

"Sirzechs Lucifer is, Ichigo."

He simply nodded in thanks, before anything else could be said a golden glow enveloped him and he was gone.

* * *

~ Kuoh Town

Ichigo wasn't sure what to expect when he crossed over – and he knew he had because as his senses stretched out, he felt only unfamiliar signatures – but he didn't think it would be this. It looked exactly like his version of Japan, as though he was just in one of the adjacent towns to Karakura, though he supposed it was all the same in the end.

Any disappointment he felt by the lack of visual difference was quickly swept away by the unique signatures pulsing around him; they were different to anything he'd ever felt before, and it was more than enough to grab his interest.

Feeling a few stronger presences at the edge of his senses he reached out a little further. 'Eight signatures in close proximity, four of them fluctuating wildly, a fight?' Excitedly the teen prepared to set off; it would be a good chance to catch a glimpse at how people fight over here. A small burst of golden reiatsu enveloped him, and when it cleared his Shinigami garb and Zanpakutō were no longer visible. Now he wore a white long-sleeved shirt, faded gray jeans and sneakers. ' _This is way more convenient than the other side, having to constantly get in and out of my body to fight was a total pain in the ass._ '

With a soft shake of his head the teen vanished, a light sound of high pitched static racing through the air.

When he arrived at the destination, he noted that it was the school he would be attending which made him frown slightly. If the people were fighting here than could it be.. ' _What are the odds, the first people I see on this side are her and her peerage._ ' Ichigo clicked his tongue in distaste from his perch above though quickly shifted his attention to the fights themselves.

Issei Hyoudou and Kiba Yuuto were fighting two unknowns. ' _It doesn't seem to be too serious, the only one releasing any killing intent is Yuuto though it doesn't actually seem to be directed at the blue-haired girl, how odd._ '

Silently he watched as the fights progressed, the blue-haired girl was simply deflecting all of Yuuto's hate-filled blows. While fighting with anger wasn't necessarily a bad thing, that was only if you channeled it correctly, but he was just throwing his emotions around haphazardly, he would never win like that.

The chestnut-haired had just been nimbly avoiding Hyoudou's gauntlet. It seemed like he was trying to use a technique that required physical contact, but he couldn't hear too well.

Quickly weighing the pro's and con's he decided to move in a little closer though he'd have to be careful, he noticed right away that the white-haired girl, Shirone had been scanning the surroundings quite frequently since his arrival. He'd heard that Nekomata had amazing sensory abilities, and thus she probably felt something, she just couldn't pinpoint him. But then again, not many people could casually stand in the air, so she probably hadn't thought to look up.

".. you have a lecherous face Issei-kun, I wonder what you're thinking."

Now that she mentioned it, the kid really did look like a pervert with that grin and his nostrils flaring so rapidly.

With a small flick of her wrist, she sent him backward creating space and giving Shirone a chance to step forward with something to say, "please be careful, Issei-senpai has a technique that will destroy the clothing of any woman he touches."

Striking a dramatic pose, the chestnut-haired girl replied, "what a disgusting technique! Oh Lord, please forgive this sinful pervert!" Well, even though the girl said that she didn't really look too off-put by the idea if the blush on her cheeks was anything to go by, perhaps there was a history between the two? She didn't seem like a pervert, but you never know.

Issei was on his hands and knees begging Shirone to not look at him with such a sad gaze, ' _lose that damn technique and maybe you would have such issues, dumbass._ ' Ichigo couldn't help but facepalm as he watched the scene before him. ' _Oi, am I dealing with a bunch of loons here? Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to this after all._ '

Slowly the 'fight' continued on, though Ichigo just sat there with a deadpan face. You had one guy whose anger was blinding him into fighting stupidly, and another who was using perversion as the fuel for his power, and the worst part of it all was that it actually seemed to be working!

Nonetheless, it seemed Issei was finally running low on energy and thus made one last attempt which actually got pretty close. If his opponent's agility been slightly worse then he would've gotten her, but he didn't, and so as the Red Dragon sailed over her on a direct path for Asia and Shirone, Ichigo decided he had to step in.

"Bakudō #81, Dankū," he whispered; seeing the translucent wall appear caused each of those below him to startle, however, their attention was quickly drawn to the pervert who had just smashed head first into it. With a small, slightly sadistic smirk Ichigo turned and Shunpo'd away, he'd seen enough for now, and he still wanted to familiarize himself with the town a little more before finally calling it a day.

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **And we're back! I haven't actually been playing Civilization 5 this whole time, but it took me some time to get back into the swing of writing after taking a break. Well, that and I think this is the longest 'Guardian of the Dead' chapter I've ever written. It was exactly sixteen thousand and five hundred words before even getting to the authors note!**

 **I will apologize though if the quality of writing seems a little shaky in this chapter, as I said, it took a little to get back into the swing of things.**

 **One thing I want to mention before I get into the talk about this chapter is that fact that no one commented on the major plot hint I dropped the last chapter! I was shocked that no one caught it, though I suppose that isn't a bad thing, it will just make the eventual reveal even better xD**

 **Okay, so to start things off. In the chapter, I mentioned that Ichigo has started calling Ichibē 'Oshō.' It is the shortened version of 'Manako Oshō' and means 'High Priest.' Why did I do this? Well Ichigo has always been very informal when talking to others, and I like the word Oshō, those are my reasons for this decision lol.**

 **Now onto Ichigo's Shikai stance; if you want a visual reference to the posture then go check out chapter 513. On page 4 there is a panel where Ichigo first confronts Yhwach after Byakuya asks him to save soul society and he's stood tall but relaxed with Tensa Zangetsu pointed slightly downward on an angle. He looks so badass right there with his head down and his bangs shielding his eyes.**

 **Okay, Ichigo's utter destruction and harsh assessment at Ichibē's hands. I hadn't originally planned on writing it so harshly for him, but after thinking about it, it made sense. Ichigo did get a major boost from Zangetsu's natural ability, one that allowed him to overcome the vast skill and experience gaps that were present with most of his foes. He no longer has that boost and as such would need to learn some proper foundations.**

 **I know not everyone will agree with this but oh well, can't please everyone.**

 **More so, Ichigo has no Shikai or Bankai? Hahaha, you didn't really think I'd reveal Ikomikidomoe's secrets so soon, did you? You'll have to wait for those reveals. And, because I'm just so nice I've messed with his Hollowfication too! He currently has his Mask – the one he had vs Yammy – but something is wrong with it.**

 **Eventually, he will get his true Hollowfication though. I actually have all the scenes planned already for when Ichigo will receive his Shikai, Bankai and true Hollowfication, so just be patient.**

 **Ichigo has also begun the quest for getting Ichibē to reveal Ikomikidomoe's true name, though it won't be so easy, it never is.**

 **Ichigo has a new outfit! I really like the new outfit he got in Bleach with the white cloak around his waist and the cross-shaped armor, but I feel like that outfit suits his dual blades best which in this story he obviously doesn't have, so I improvised. Instead, I just gave him a simple red Obi. Simple and elegant, the two words that have always described Ichigo's powers. He has joined leagues with Kyōraku and Suì-Fēng who both also wear a similar style.**

 **On the subject of his outfit, you will have noticed the Reishi-threads I have created. I always thought it was a bit of a wasted opportunity that something of the like was never explored in Bleach. I mean, they have the Ōken clothing so obviously creating outfits that boost defense is possible, however, I also know that they can't exactly hand out Ōken clothing to everyone. So with that in mind, why wasn't another avenue ever explored? Well, I explored it for them.**

 **I also changed the story a bit so that it wasn't a surprise for the Shinto Trinity that Ichigo was still alive. It was kind of silly to think that the Royal Guard wouldn't tell Amaterasu that Ichigo was back again.**

 **A sōzu fountain is the fountain you always see in anime with the long bamboo part that fills with water, and when it completely fills the balance shifts causing the heavier end to fall down and crack against a stone making that recognizable sound.**

 **As with the original, Ichigo can summon and uncommon his Shinigami gear, not much to say on that again. With that said though, you will have noticed that I pushed up Ichigo's journey to DxD. I didn't get rid of the Fullbring part as I like it a lot, but I've switched it around, Ichigo will now deal with Kokabiel before going back home. One of the only complaints I remember constantly getting about the original version of this story was how long it took to get to DxD and I have to agree, it did take a while. So, while there isn't a major difference in this story, a couple chapters is better than nothing, right?**

 **I had a lot of fun writing Ichigo's and Ikomikidomoe's interactions in this chapter, and I hope that my vision for her can become clearer to you all in the coming chapters.**

 **My last note on the chapter is just a style change. I stopped fully italicizing the flashbacks, it always kind of annoyed me because then I can't put proper emphasis on some words in the flashback as I would in the regular text by using the italicize function. It's fine though, the flashback starts and ends are clearly marked.**

 **And on an unrelated subject, I recently re-watched Overlord and man, shoutout to Zesshi Zetsumei. I fell in love with her in the like two minutes she was on screen. Her design is gorgeous, and although her personality is kinda cliche, I still loved it with her. I even started reading the Light Novels just to get more of her, though unfortunately, I found out after the fact that she hasn't actually appeared again xD**

 **I did come up with a really good idea for a Bleach & Overlord crossover though! However, I don't think I'm a good enough writer to do the idea justice xD But who knows, maybe sometime in the future you might see that story get posted – probably not though.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	7. Chapter 7

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 7 -

~ Kuoh Academy

It was one of those things that just couldn't be explained, one moment Issei had been sailing through the air with a lecherous grin on his face and his perverted technique ready to strike and the next he was mashed up comically against a translucent wall. A mix of confused and worried gazes were being directed toward this era's Red Dragon Emperor, the sole exception being Koneko who looked quite pleased with this turn of events.

The often cat-like girls dislike for perverse actions and subjects was well known to all those around her, so as much as she wished to for the sake of the peerage, she found it very hard to get along with the embodiment of lust she was teamed up with.

The sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the now silent courtyard as the shimmering wall fell apart. With a speed that no human could match Rias made to grasp a piece in hopes of discovering not only what this strange form of magic was that she'd never seen before but who cast it. She huffed out in annoyance when just as her fingers were about to close in around the shard it dissipated into nothingness, leaving naught a trace that something had ever been there in the first place.

Sighing out again she shifted her gaze toward the two exorcists, "since we've been interrupted let's just call the match there, the both of you have clearly won." It was obvious that she wasn't happy with the performance of her two servants, though Issei was sort of excused due to his lack of battle experience and training, Kiba, on the other hand, had no excuse. The look on her face promised a hellish training for both of her male servants as she knelt next to the downed Issei.

"Very well, I do hope you'll keep in mind what we discussed before," Xenovia replied simply, though before completely turning to leave the blue-haired exorcist shifted an uncaring gaze toward Issei who was still massaging the sore spot on his forehead. "I will give a warning to you as well; the Vanishing Dragon has awoken. He will seek you out eventually so be ready, though in your current state you'd be no more than a fly before a true Dragon."

Even as she spoke such harsh words, her voice was flat. It was obvious that she cared little for whatever fate may befall the teen. In all honesty, if this so-called 'Vanishing Dragon' were to eliminate him, then she'd probably just look at it as one less Devil she had to kill.

Issei didn't bear I'll will towards her for this though, he understood that the Angels and Devils were natural enemies, and although there was peace right now between the factions it wasn't true peace, more of a 'you stop killing us and we'll stop killing you' sort of thing, as Rias had explained.

It was a fragile ceasefire at best.

Not waiting for a response the exorcist turned on her heel and began walking away prompting her chestnut haired partner to hurriedly don her white robe and make chase lest she is left behind. Slowing down briefly she left her childhood friend with some parting words, "just come and find me if you ever feel like being judged Issei, and please never use that technique of yours again! Amen!"

All eyes shifted toward the downed Dragon Emperor as an unsettling and perverted chuckle escaped him. "You're an admirable foe Irina Shidou, but don't be mistaken! When we next meet, I'll be much stronger, and your clothing won't stand a chance!"

Instantly he could feel the cold gaze of the school's mascot on him though that was to be expected, despite his best efforts thus far Koneko still wasn't very fond of him. And well, it probably didn't help that he was mere inches away from stripping her bare just moments ago.

A short distance away from the laughter and teasing of the Gremory pawn, the lone knight who just suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the very sword which caused him so much pain and suffering from a young age was trying and failing brilliantly at controlling his emotions, suppressing his hate, the dark all-encompassing desire for revenge that burned anew in his heart.

He'd been living as a zombie for so many years, ever since Rias came to him that night and offered him a chance at a new life, a better life. Once he'd gotten a taste of what it was like to be loved, to be cared for, to have a warm home, a comfy bed and more food than he could eat he'd lost sight of his true purpose. The purpose which only he could do as the sole survivor and carrier of his comrade's grudges, his purpose was the destruction of Excalibur.

Kiba had hoped he would be able to walk away without anyone noticing just to avoid the awkward situation that would surely arise, but it seemed luck was not on his side right now. So as his master called out to him, he could only tense and clench his fist, deeply hoping that she wouldn't try and force him to stay, it would only make this all worse.

"Kiba, I can't allow you to go," she began with a firm but compassionate tone. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was on the swordsman's mind and what he planned to do, and knowing his past, she couldn't blame him for feeling as he did.

Still, Kiba did not turn to face them; instead, he just spoke in a solemn tone, "I know President, that's why I'm sorry."

With a few quick steps, Rias was no more than a foot away from him, her hand coming forward to grasp his wrist tightly. "Please stay Kiba, we've been together for a long time, so I understand what you're feeling, but this isn't the way to do it; if you leave then you will be classified as a stray Devil and hunted, then nothing will be accomplished!"

Her pleading tone dug deeply into his heart, he wanted to stay, so badly he did, but he couldn't, and so with a reluctant flick of his arm, he wrenched himself from her grasp and vanished with the speed gifted to him as a knight, leaving his friends to state blankly at the spot he once stood.

All attention then shifted to Rias who still hadn't retracted her outstretched arm. She was at an impasse for what to do. On one hand, Kiba was the boy she'd saved so many years ago and an irreplaceable part of her family. On the other hand, she was the Heiress to the house of Gremory, and as her servant, one wrong move could restart the Great War.

In such a scenario, all of the blame would be hefted onto her shoulders. Now that particular thought didn't bother her, she would gladly be reprimanded for one of her servant's actions if what they did had meant something to them, but this was about a whole lot more than just her. Her family, the house of Gremory, and more importantly, her brother Sirzechs who was currently one of the four Satan's of the underworld would be on the line too, and it was because of that reason that she couldn't act recklessly like she normally would.

Therein lies the problem.

Does she report what has just transpired to her brother so that precautionary measures can be made? Or does she feign ignorance for a little bit thus giving Kiba a chance to accomplish what he set out to do and free his heart of the turmoil which had long since held him down? It wasn't a decision she could make lightly nor was it one she could spend too much time pondering, perhaps she could discuss it later with Sona.

' _If only there was someone unaffiliated with Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels that could interfere without facing the right of restarting the great war.._ ' With that final thought, she signalled to the rest of her peerage that activities were done for the day and they would reconvene tomorrow. She had some thinking to do.

* * *

~ Kuoh Academy, Sunday Morning

"Okay, so the reason we've gathered her so early is that I'd like to discuss what happened yesterday during the battle with the exorcists," Rias started from her position behind her desk, Issei and Asia were sat together on one of the sofa's, Koneko was opposite to them and Akeno was – as always – stood by her King's side.

Despite the ordeal with Kiba that had also happened the day before, Rias didn't let it affect her mood. She had broached the subject with Sona the previous night, and the Sitri Heiress had told her just what she needed to hear. Quite simply, Kiba wasn't a fool. He had been overcome by the resurfaced feelings of anger and hatred which was why he had left on this path of vengeance, but he wouldn't let that cloud his judgment to the point where he'd do something reckless enough to restart the Great War.

For now, they would keep quiet and monitor the situation with their familiars from afar. Sona had said it perfectly, that sometimes people have inner demons that they must conquer alone, and if someone else does it for them then deep down in their heart it will never truly be resolved.

"That translucent wall which stopped Issei was unlike any magic I'd ever seen before and the fact that there was no magic circle present only makes it all the more confusing." This was something that she'd also discussed with not only Akeno but with Sona and her Queen Tsubaki as well. Both of them were quite knowledgeable when it came to the technicalities of magic for their age.

The one constant between the four of them, however, was this, "to my knowledge, there has never been a person or race other than Dragons that could utilize magic without using circuits, this event is unprecedented and could provide a monumental advancement in how we think about and use magic. With that said, I need to ask if anyone noticed anything odd or suspicious yesterday during the fight, no matter how big or small anything that could potentially lead us to the origins of that magic will be helpful."

Unbeknownst to the rest of the occupants in the room, in the depths of Issei's soul, the Welsh Dragon was pondering something that had brought his mind no small amounts of concern. He recalled back to a short while ago when he'd shared with his current host and his comrades a tale from his time as an unbound Heavenly Dragon, the tale in which he fought against a true demon of fire.

There was one thing he didn't mention about that fight, not because he was withholding information; it had just never clicked in his mind that what the man was doing should've been impossible. He commanded fire that would put many of Dragons to shame, moved with a speed and agility that most could only dream of, and held enough strength in his fists to shake the earth to its very core, and yet not once during the entirety of the fight did he summon anything even resembling a magic circle.

This was a problem because as the Gremory Heiress had said, there was no magic circle tied to that barrier, that left them with two possible scenarios. The first possibility would be that a Dragon in human form was acting behind the scenes here, but Ddraig could immediately rule that out. He would never mistake the aura of a Dragon, and the mysterious beings tightly restrained energy which blanketed the area held no traces of Draconic power within.

With that said it left only one possibility; right now, in this very town, a member of the Shinto Faction – and more specifically their Royal Guard – was active, someone who his wielder would currently stand no chance against.

It bothered the Red Dragon because times had changed, no longer did her merely give power to his wielders for a chance at killing the white one, that had gotten old so long ago. Now he found it much more interesting to give his wielders power and let them use it for whatever they wished.

Would they be selfish and use it for personal gain? Would they be selfless and use it to help others? Or would they let the power consume them and turn their hearts black, going on an endless rampage of destruction and death until their body could no longer take it and they'd die? It was fascinating to see all the different paths a humans mind could take them, and he wanted it to continue.

His current wielder was no different. Sure he'd had some host in the past that liked woman a little more than the average guy, but he'd never had one so obsessed with woman – and more specifically their breasts – than Issei Hyoudou, it was interesting in its own way. He liked the peace which currently filled the world and enjoyed watching his wielder stumble through life as he did.

He would be said if Issei died, but that was where the problems began as there wasn't a whole lot Ddraig could do to make him stronger quickly. In terms of strength, he was a below average human born from below average parents with not a trace of latent magical potential at all. With Issei it wasn't a case of starting from zero and working his way up, he was starting in the negative and struggling to get to zero, only then could he grow further.

If all that wasn't enough to deal with, it was confirmed that Albion had awoken meaning he'd found a new host, one that could've had a complete opposite start to Issei, a person born from Magicians with overflowing magical potential. That would be the worst case scenario though thankfully it was highly unlikely.

Ddraig threw his senses back outwards when he felt his wielder perk up; it seemed that the Nekomata had risen her hand to speak.

"Yes, what is it Koneko?" Rias asked excitedly; this was what she'd been waiting for. Although completely untrained in her unique powers, Koneko's senses still far outstripped any of theirs, if anyone was going to notice something it would be her.

"Someone came near the end of the fight, but they left shortly after the barrier was used."

Rias perked up at that, it was obvious that someone had been watching, who else would've used the strange technique otherwise, but if Koneko had gotten a good feel of their energy then maybe they could head to where the person was watching from and look for clues. "Could you pinpoint their location?"

The white-haired girl shook her head lightly in response causing the other people in the room to deflate slightly.

It was worth a shot asking, though it was still surprising. "Is there a specific reason why?" The Heiress pushed, "was something interfering?"

Once more she shook her head in the negative prompting a couple of brows to raise in confusion, "it felt as though they were everywhere."

After that comment, the dominating emotion in the room shifted from confusion to surprise, how could it feel as though they were everywhere? After contemplating the words for a moment, Issei rose his left arm slightly and inquired about their dilemma to the legendary being currently tied to his soul.

"Ddraig, do you know anything?"

A flash of red enveloped the space around him before quickly fading away again to reveal the red gauntlet of the Boosted Gear. [ **Mm, the little one is correct in her assessment, I could sense it too. It's not a special technique or anything like that, just simple energy manipulation.** ]

"Eh? What do you mean?"

Ddraig sighed internally at the question; his wielder still had a lot to learn. [ **In simple terms, whoever this spectator was had spread their energy out thinly over the surrounding area so that they could blend in seamlessly with the surroundings, meaning even if you knew they were there, you'd have to be quite skilled at sensing energies to find them.** ]

Rias held an impressed gaze, "which means whoever it was isn't low levelled.."

[ **Correct, the amount of energy required to pull off such a feat would outstrip any of you in your current state; furthermore, they've demonstrated that they have fine control over their power- however vast it may be. It's likely that they are quite experienced in combat and at the very least have spent many long hours training.** ]

The Gremory peerage deflated at those words, they knew Ddraig wasn't trying to insult them, he was just being honest, and the honest truth of the situation was that this unknown person outclassed them, and likely by a large margin.

[ **Don't let it get to you, I doubt this person is an enemy. Judging by their power alone they had no reason to hesitate in attacking you, more so, they used that barrier to defend Koneko and Asia from my wielders perverted technique.** ] Ddraig spoke up again, trying his hand at comforting the glum Devils.

The fact that Ddraig had just taken a jab at his technique completely left Issei's mind as he was reminded of the previous day's unfortunate turn of events. "That's right! I was so close to seeing boobs, and then they had to interfere and deny me that heavenly sight! I swear if we ever meet again I'll.." the perverted Dragon had to trail off his words toward the end, the absolutely murderous glare that was being directed toward him caused his hairs to stand on end.

Parking up at her desk, Rias smirked at the interaction between her two servants, though deciding to show some mercy she clapped loudly to draw all attention to her thus saving Issei from her Rook's wrath. "That's right, I just remembered! Sona said that there will be a new third-year transfer student tomorrow, an Ichigo Kurosaki if I recall correctly."

To her right, Akeno rose a hand to her mouth as she giggled, "Ufufu, Strawberry-chan huh?"

"Another girl for Issei-senpai to pray on.. how sad," this comment earned another giggle from Akeno while Issei cried fake tears, whining about how mean Koneko had been to him lately. Unknown to him, his troubles as a pervert were only going to get worse because it wasn't a girl he'd be seeing tomorrow, but a man who most woman would agree was the reincarnation of Adonis.

* * *

~ Monday Morning

Ichigo had slept better than he thought he would, it was his first night in this 'new world' and asides from his companion deep within his soul he was completely alone.

He couldn't say he was all that nervous to be starting at a new school today, the unknown of it all certainly piqued his interest, but he wasn't nervous. He had been punched, kicked, stabbed, sliced and had holes blown through him. Byakuya had shredded him with Senbonzakura, Ulquiorra had thrashed him so badly that his bones had pretty much been reduced to dust and he'd even died a couple of times to top it all off.

When you considered all of that, something like starting at a new school was so far down on the ' _wow_ ' scale it wasn't even funny.

He wasn't all that concerned about being behind in the curriculum either. After doing some quick scouting through the town and checking out his apartment, he'd sat down and flipped through the current textbooks and honestly there wasn't anything in them that stumped him for more than a few seconds.

' _I guess I owe Ishida a thank you the next time we meet,_ ' he mused. The bespectacled bastard had been so hell-bent on making sure that Ichigo didn't flunk while saving the world that he actually forced Ichigo to go a little bit ahead in the curriculum, he was probably a solid grade above most of the other people he'd be schooling with.

Kuoh itself was really nice, with Shunpo and air walking he was able to get a rough picture of the town and its surrounding areas. The first couple blocks immediately surrounding his apartment and the route he would be taking to school were more thoroughly explored on foot, and he was pleased to note that the area wasn't too densely populated and there appeared to be a couple quiet, more traditional restaurants and café's he could visit when he needed a break.

His apartment was just as nice as you'd expect from something prepared by Gods. It was modern two bedroom suite with a great view, probably no more than a couple of years old, but it held touches of design from Japan's Edo period that reminded him of Takamagahara and the Soul Society.

Giving himself another once over in the mirror his mouth twisted downward slightly in distaste. He looked like he was back in junior high. The Kuoh Academy uniform wasn't bad per se, just a little too fancy for his tastes, his only real gripe with it was all the layers they expected students to wear.

He would be far too warm in all of it and as such decided to forgo wearing the stripped middle-shirt and ribbon. And what the hell was up with that anyway? What guy wanted to wear a ribbon of all things? If he had any doubts that the school only recently turned co-ed, then little details like that were proof enough.

The teacher would probably give him shit for it but oh well; he'd never worn the Karakura high uniform properly either. So with those two items of clothing gone, he was left with the black pants and blazer, a white button up shirt and black dress shoes, it would do.

Twirling one of his bangs he wondered if he should get a trim though the idea was quickly rejected, he liked the more tame look his hair took on when it grew out. He'd never admit it out loud, but he thought he looked pretty damn cool after his Dangai training before his growth had painfully reverted.

* * *

The walk to school wasn't as pleasant as he'd hoped, sure it was a nice morning, and the streets were fairly clear asides from the other students but in this case that was exactly the problem. He was finally starting to understand just how lopsided the ratio of girls to buys really was, and oh god the attention.

His bright orange hair was drawing the attention of the men and woman around him; his appearance was holding their attention, and once they realized he was wearing the same uniform as them the gossip started.

"Oh my, who is he?"

"Isn't that our uniform?! Kyaaa! I'm so glad we became co-ed now!"

"Should we go and say Hi to him?"

"Are you crazy?! Look at him! He's way out of our league."

"Oh look, he's scowling now!"

"..mm, that's pretty nice too; I wouldn't mind if he disciplined me."

"Oh my god, you pervert! How can you say something like that out loud?!

... but now that you mention it.."

And with those words, Ichigo tuned out the outside world. It would be best if he didn't hear the rest of that conversation; otherwise, he doubted that he'd be able to keep the blush from rising to his cheeks. It didn't help that the newest student of Kuoh Academy could feel the amusement radiating from his Zanpakutō spirit.

" _You're too stiff Ichigo, there's nothing wrong with enjoying your youth a bit,_ " Ikomikidomoe sighed out, though without giving her wielder a chance to reply she continued, mirth now filling her tone, " _and don't even try to act all high and mighty either; when our souls were bound I was given access to your memories, thoughts and feelings and I witnessed firsthand some of your more adventurous fantasies during your time living with Rukia Kuchiki as well as when you were trained by Yoruichi_ _Shihōin._ "

Those words caused him to falter slightly in his step though he tried to play it off so he wouldn't draw attention to himself. The melodic laughter in the depths of his soul only heightened his embarrassment further.

' _S-Shut up! I don't know what you're talking about.._ '

" _Oh? Well, that's fine, if those two don't ring a bell, there was another that I remember seeing quite often, one involving a certain Second Division Captain. She_ was _always quite hard on you, but I was surprised to find out that you had such a sadistic streak in you, I wonder how she would react to you thinking about dominating her, I-_ "

' _Fine Fine Fine! I get it; I'll try and loosen up so please stop!_ "

" _Hmph, I'm glad we could work something out. Now then, you should probably do something about that red face of yours, wouldn't want people thinking you're some kind of pervert would you?_ "

The remainder of the walk had been spent silently cursing Ikomikidomoe who continued to laugh at his frustration, she had accomplished her goal and thus left him to fume to himself.

He was back to normal by the time he'd reached the school, though when he crossed through the large gate, he was immediately put on edge, it felt as though he was being watched.

He wouldn't put it past the Devil's to have set up some sort of observation network around the school as it was essentially their base of operations, it would only make sense to secure it. ' _But man, there sure are a lot of Devils here.._ ' by Ichigo's count there were fourteen of the dark reiatsu signatures which exceeded his original expectations.

None of them were particularity strong, well compared to him at least, though he supposed it was a bit unfair to compare them to a freak of nature like himself.

He couldn't help but pity the normal humans here just a little, every day they got up and came to school, lived their lives as though nothing was wrong, completely unaware of the beings that existed alongside them. It really made him glad to be in the position he was.

Sure, for some people it would be scarier knowing that the monsters you are told about as children to scare you are actually real, but in Ichigo's opinion, the unknown was infinitely scarier. Always looking over your shoulder or down a dark alleyway wondering if there was some horrific monster watching you that you just couldn't see, he wouldn't want to live like that.

Brushing those thoughts from his mind, he continued onward toward the main building. He still needed to check in with the front office and get his schedule, maybe a nod in the direction of his homeroom as well. He didn't really was to ask any of the students here, as the first day hadn't even started and they were already pissing him off.

The males were openly glaring at him, and the girls were staring at him like he was a piece of candy, not even a day into his new school life and it was already getting old.

" _It lo_ _o_ _ks like it's about to get even better too._ "

It didn't take long for the meaning of Ikomikidomoe's words to be realized, stood before him at the top of the large staircase was none other than the Student Council President and Heir to the Sitri family, Sona Sitri and her Queen Tsubaki Shinra. He'd heard a little about the pair; apparently, they were both the diligent, super serious, rule-abiding type which was fine, but it made Ichigo think that maybe they wouldn't get along so well. Hell, Sona was already eyeing his as though he was a walking violation.

A couple of seconds and a few strides later the pair were stood no more than an arms reach away, all the students around them had frozen and gone silent, all too curious about what was happening between the mysterious new student and the student council president.

"I am Kuoh Academy's Student Council President Souna Shitori, and this is my Vice President Tsubaki Shinra, may I ask who you are? I recognize our uniform but not your face."

"Ichigo Kurosaki, I just transfer student here," he replied bluntly, not missing the subtle widening of eyes from the two girls before him. ' _Odd, I'm sure she was aware of my transfer.. maybe she was expecting someone else?_ '

Humming softly, Sona gave him another once over, stopping briefly at the neckline of his shirt, "your uniform is lacking a couple of articles of clothing, surely you wanted to make a better first impression than this, no?"

Shrugging lightly, he couldn't help but level the girl with a dry stare, "it's fine like this, that other stuff was more annoying than anything so I tossed it." He didn't miss the way her brow twitched in annoyance at his dismissive shrug to her question.

The most unfortunate thing about the situation for Sona was that he wasn't technically breaking any rules. The tie and middle shirt weren't required for male students to wear, as long as they wore a respectable undershirt with the blazer and pants than they were technically within regulations. She wouldn't go down without a fight though, so dropping the subject of his attire she attacked from a different angle.

"Dyed hair is against school rules."

Unable to hold it back any longer the corner of his lips turn slightly upward in a smirk, a light hum escaping him. Despite what his opinion of her may have been, her presence here was sure appreciated. "What's her excuse then?" He asked, jutting his head toward the staircase and more specifically the girl who stood atop it.

With a light ' _tsk_ ' under hear breath Sona resigned from the argument, it seemed as though she would be going zero for two that morning. Of course, due to her energy sensing abilities, she didn't even need to turn around to see who it was he was looking at, but for the sake of keeping appearances, she did.

Glancing up at her fellow Devil Heiress and best friend their eyes met briefly though Rias' quickly returned to the newest student, an action she mimicked. With one last effort at beating Ichigo, she answered his question, "as hard as it may be to believe, that's her natural hair colour."

"And this is mine," he stated, ending the discussion there.

Sona accepted her defeat easily enough and dropped the subject, after giving the new student directions to the head office and instructions on who he would need to speak with once there, they bid farewell and parted ways with Sona returning back up the stairs to where her best friend stood.

* * *

She would admit that she was curious, it wasn't very often that you got a third-year transfer student, especially not one so late in the year. That, coupled with the fact that she could sense his presence before he even entered the school grounds was more than enough reason to lure her from the ORC's clubroom.

It wasn't as though his energy was uncontrolled and overflowing; no, it was the complete opposite. It was because his energy was so densely packed just below his skin like a layer of armour that it warranted looking into. It was obvious that whoever, or whatever this person was, they had a fair amount of power and were quite skilled in controlling it. And, if they turned out to be another potential peerage member, then Rias wanted to make sure she beat Sona to the punch.

The issue with Riser and her arranged marriage may have been resolved for now, but she never wanted to feel that helpless again. It was for that reason she wouldn't stop, not until her peerage was full and herself and all of her servants were trained to the best they could be.

When she reached the main hall, instead of stepping right out into the open she leaned herself against one of the supporting pillars and listened in on the conversation. The first shocking discovery was that ' _Strawberry-chan_ ' wasn't a ' _-chan_ ' at all, it was a male which confused her, why would parents name their son after a strawberry? Ignoring the oddity for a moment, she focused on the second shocking discovery; the guy was actually managing to get under her longtime best friend's skin which was a feat all in itself.

After hearing their discussion touch on his supposedly dyed hair, Rias decided it was time to step out and catch a look at the new student for herself; she couldn't say she was disappointed when she did either, he was certainly a looker. The Gremory Heiress couldn't help but giggle as she thought back to her sole pawn, ' _Issei really isn't going to like this._ '

A couple more brief exchanges later and the groups parted ways, Sona and Tsubaki headed back up the stairs to her position and the newest student through the parting sea of students who stared at him with awe and wonder.

"So what do you think of the new student?" She asked as soon as the Sitri Heiress was within earshot.

At the reminder, Sona's mouth twisted into an annoyed mockery of a smile, "he's certainly got a sharp tongue."

That comment earned her a short huff of laughter, "Mm, it's not very often I see you on the losing end of an argument."

"Don't remind me," she sighed out, shifting her glasses back up the bridge of her nose she addressed her Queen, "Tsubaki, what did you think of Kurosaki-san?"

It didn't take long for the girl to respond, though her answer was a little surprising to Rias who hadn't been as up close and personal with the new student as the other two, "I found it hard to breath when I met his gaze."

Another small giggle escaped the red-haired girl, "oh dear, that doesn't sound good for Kiba," she teased.

Sona merely rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner, give it to Rias to never miss a chance at teasing someone, though with how often Akeno got her it was no surprise that she looked for revenge in other places. It was no secret that Tsubaki had a crush on Kiba, and thus this was a perfect chance to tease that point, it had obviously worked too if her Queen's strawberry red face was any indicator.

It took only a moment for her to realize how her words could be interpreted, and why Rias had poked fun at her. So with a slightly panicked expression, she made to correct herself, "T-t-that's not what I meant!" Feeling the teasing smiles of her Master and her Master's best friend she took a moment to regain herself.

"It was fear," she began again, "when our eyes met it felt as though the world had vanished around us and we were left in a void of nothingness, but it wasn't just me and Kurosaki-san stood there, it felt like there was something behind me, hovering over my shoulders threatening to consume me."

Tsubaki's words quickly removed Rias smile, the light trembling in the Queen's voice as she recalled back onto the experience caused a spark of fear to begin kindling her own heart.

"I couldn't have worded it better myself," Sona finished off, a much more serious air permeating around them than when the discussion had started, the three could only wonder what kind of monster had just appeared before them.

* * *

"Alright then Kurosaki-san, please introduce yourself."

He wanted to groan as he turned to address his new classmates, not only was he the only male in it, but it held the four most influential Devils at the school and the one he least wanted to see. It was undeniable that the four of them were eyeing him closely, even if they were doing a good job of hiding it he could clearly tell.

He had hoped to dissuade them from approaching him by letting a little of his reiatsu seep out during his first meeting with the Student Council President and her Queen though he would have to wait a little while to see if it had actually worked. If the weariness in their gazes was any indication, however, then he'd say it worked pretty well.

"Yo, the name's Ichigo Kurosaki, pleased to meet you," he spoke flatly, raising his hand and giving a simple two-fingered wave to his classmates.

"How charming, it's good to see you're as gruff as usual."

Ignoring the sarcastic remark from his Zanpakutō, he watched amusedly as his teacher tried to think of something to say, clearly she hadn't been expecting such a.. lacking response either.

"A-Ah, Kurosaki-san, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Holding back the tired sigh that threatened to escape him he briefly met gazes with Sona before answering. "Okay, well before it gets asked, yes this is my natural hair colour," he inwardly smirked as her brows tilted inward ever so slightly. "Also, my name means 'he who protects' not 'strawberry' so please don't make that mistake." Ichigo had to make sure he got that out of the way, the woman in his past all loved teasing him about his 'cute name.'

"I enjoy reading and am a big fan of Shakespeare; I've played all kinds of sports in my life through those were more like hobbies for me. I was trained in Karate when I was small and am currently learning 'Hakuda' which is a unique hand-to-hand combat form that incorporates many different styles of martial art into one.

Although I have extensive knowledge in hand to hand combat, my true passion has always been with the sword, and I'm honoured to have recently begun learning Mujushin Kenjutsu," he finished, glancing toward the teacher, eyes holding the silent question of 'was that good enough?'

He was relieved to have finally be excused to his seat after receiving a round of applause from his classmates, though the four Devils followed his movements like hawks after he'd revealed the arts he was currently being trained in. He hadn't planned on being so specific originally, but Ikomikidomoe had said it would be interesting if he 'threw them a bone' so to speak, and he had to agree.

If the four Devils were alone in the room with Ichigo than he probably would have gotten the 'interesting reaction' he was seeking, all four of them felt the weight of his words.

None of them had ever heard of 'Hakuda' specifically, but they understood the significance of a style that pulled the best parts of many different martial arts and compiled them into one, it was also a testament to one's own skill and potential to be learning such a style, that alone rose his danger level by a fair margin in their eyes, however, that which really spoke to them were the two words he'd uttered afterwards, ' _Mujushin Kenjutsu._ '

It was known as the purest and most ethereal art of the sword, and the known masters of the art could be counted on one hand. It was the ultimate goal for every swordsman, but the unfortunate reality of it was that most would never even see it in their life, let alone learn it.

They hadn't even known the new transfer student for a day, and already he'd amazed them, it just made Rias want to snatch him up even more.

* * *

~ Thursday after school

His eyes narrowed further as the pawn of Gremory approached, wasting no time he prodded the king of perverts for information on the current situation. "So, why did you call me out here Hyoudou?"

The suspicion lacing his voice was enough to make Issei sweat-drop, was he really so untrustworthy? "C'mon Saji, can't a guy just want to hang out with his friend?"

"Hah! Maybe a normal guy sure; you, however, not so much. If it doesn't have boobs than you don't want anything to do with it."

It was kind of sad that Issei couldn't refute his claim. "Well you know how it is.. I mean, you like Sona don't you?"

What was meant to be a lighthearted deflection turned into something much more depressing, as soon as Sona was mentioned the pawn deflated in his seat. "Don't remind me of such painful memories," he sighed out, deflating further, "ever since that new student came Kaichou has been spending more time with him than me!"

With tears streaming down his face and a fire burning in his heart, Issei felt his camaraderie growing with his fellow pawn at the mention of the evil bastard. "I know how you feel! Ever since that new guy came all of the girls have been drooling over him; I've seen him get asked out fourteen times already and it hasn't even been a week yet!"

Sat on the other side of some hedges a few feet away was the school's mascot Koneko Toujou whose face was set into a flat stare as she listened to the twin idiots behind her. She had noticed it a few days ago now, but the embodiment of lust had been acting quite strange for a while now. Often lost in thought, jumpy, overly defensive when asked about what he was thinking of, and so out of curiosity, she decided it would be prudent to keep an eye on things.

In spite of her curiosity, however, no matter how much she watched him nothing out of the ordinary was done, until today that is. Issei had gone to meet up with Saji which in itself was odd. It wasn't as though the two were on bad terms with each other; they just didn't really hang out.

So, upon hearing the time and place which the meeting would be held, Koneko made sure to arrive there ahead of time so that she wouldn't miss anything because something had to be going on behind the scenes, right?

The more she heard from the two twits behind her cause some serious doubts to form, what had started as a suspicious and awkward greeting had turned into a full-on bashing of the new transfer student. The white-haired Nekomata had yet to even meet the guy, and she already liked him more than these two.

Patience waning she was about to call it quits and head home, but an unexpected rival forced her to stay. With his presence the goofing off stopped and a plan that may cause more harm than good was formed.

"Kiba, thanks for coming on such short notice."

The man in question nodded briskly in response, he – much like Saji – had been fairly suspicious when Issei had contacted him stated that they needed to meet up right away as Issei had something to talk with him about, seeing the pawn of Sitri alongside him only forced his level of suspicion higher. "What's this about Issei?"

The Red Dragon Emperor fidgeted lightly under the expectant gazes, sure of what he wanted to say but finding it hard to actually speak. He wasn't sure if Saji would even help as there was no real benefit for him to do so, even if they succeeded in Issei's plan he would still be in serious trouble with his master, and that just might not be worth it.

But this was important to Issei, so he had to at least try; it's not like there was really anyone else he could ask anyway.

* * *

~ Thursday, with Ichigo

He knew a little of what was happening behind the scenes, a Cadre class Fallen Angel named Kokabiel was moving separately of Azazel trying to stir up trouble with the other factions, though to what end he couldn't say.

Despite the potential shit storm brewing under the surface, however, there wasn't a whole lot he could do right now. If he went home to Karakura and something happened in his absence, would he be able to get back quickly enough to interfere and stop the potentially catastrophic situation? He couldn't say.

As someone who had been a part of the supernatural for a couple of years now, he knew it took only seconds for shit to hit the fan and so he had to stay.

The current situation was far from ideal but what could he do? Until he was able to come onto more information that would allow him to piece the whole picture together, he'd have to just keep moving blindly.

Though it would be a lie if he said he hadn't hoped for a bit more of a break before things went south. He'd just started school again and was working hard to catch up on missed assignments and tests, and his days were relatively free of interruption. Asides from the Sitri Heiress and her Queen who exchanged a little more than pleasantries with him daily there was almost no one that talked to him, instead choosing to 'admire from afar' which was more than fine with him.

"Oh please, have mercy on our pitiful souls!"

"We are naught but errant sheep of his Lord!"

Yes, he had _hoped_ for some more peace before things really started moving behind the scenes, but as he watched the scene unfolding before his eyes the quote ' _no rest for the weary_ ' popped into his head. He'd only wanted to go out for dinner, but that was where his current problem started.

Stood right in front of the quaint little restaurant he'd spotted during his initial scouting of the town were the very same exorcists that had defeated Hyoudou and Yuuto earlier that week. The pair looked as though they hadn't eaten in a while, preaching about God's humble sheep and pity; it was honestly pretty depressing to watch.

"Oi," Ichigo called out gruffly gaining the attention of the duo, "you're bugging everyone with all that yelling out here," he said, jutting his head toward some of the passing civilians. After looking around and confirming his words the pair of exorcists at least had the decency to look sorry.

Glancing back toward the depressed girls he weighed his options and decided on his next move, "come on, I'll buy you guys a meal," he continued, nodding toward the restaurant which had been his original goal.

He hadn't originally planned on having company, but this would be a good chance to gather some information on Kokabiel and maybe that mysterious killer as well. He had noticed it the first night here when he was exploring the town, perhaps because he had so much experience with battle or maybe those of the supernatural just had a natural ability to sense that dark, eerie coldness akin to death, but he'd already found the aftermath of a brutal murder three of his five nights here.

Bodies chopped up into small pieces with a stomach-turning reiatsu permeating the area, he had tried for hours to locate the culprit but no matter how far he stretched his senses, not even with Ikomikidomoe's help did he find success, it was as though they'd vanish into thin air.

Well, he supposed they were lucky for managing to escape his grasp thus far, he would never stand for what they were doing, and once he finally got his hands on them he'd..

He shook his head briefly to distance himself from those thoughts; it wouldn't do well to dwell on that right now as there were two girls waiting on him to fill their stomachs. Speaking off.. it was like something out of a cartoon how fast they'd managed to clean up their makeshift stall. He couldn't even finish his thought, and the two were marching toward the establishment, not even checking to see if he was following behind them.

* * *

His purpose for coming here originally had been to eat though with the two girls that currently kept him company he found that his appetite was a little lost. As such, he instead chose to nurse a cup of coffee, half staring out the window at the people passing by and half watching the two savages before him devouring everything within arms reach.

Funnily enough most of the attention in the diner was directed toward him. Usually, it would be the man who ate enough food to feed a family of four, but instead, it was two teenage girls, in this situation he was the odd one out and not them.

Despite what Ichigo thought the two girls weren't solely focused on the food.. well okay, perhaps at first they were, but after they got past their starving hunger, some of their attention was directed toward the man who had saved them. Yeah, perhaps Irina and Xenovia weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but even they knew that not many people would just buy a random person a meal and not expect anything in return let alone two, so immediately they were suspicious.

He didn't seem hostile in the least.

It was said that a person's eyes are the gateway to their soul, and on the occasion that his gaze would meet either of theirs, there was never anything hidden within the golden brown which gave them cause for concern, they were intimidating, very much so, but not dangerous. He looked like any normal – if not really attractive – human guy, and if it wasn't for the energy he gave off they would think he was.

It wasn't anything they'd ever felt before. He was clearly Japanese which meant that it was next to impossible for him to be linked to another faction around the world and neither was he one of the races which made up the three great factions. So that only left the possibility of him possessing a Sacred Gear, something which they had no way of confirming unless he said so himself, and that was unlikely.

Finally, a good twenty minutes after their original arrival the duo finished eating and were finishing up the remainder of their drinks as Ichigo waited, he didn't mind that it had taken so long, in fact, the calm was nice. He didn't know the two girls before him in the slightest, yet he couldn't say their company was unpleasant.

The sound of a throat being cleared drew his gaze back inward, "thanks for buying us dinner, I don't think we could've gone on much longer without food," the twin-tailed exorcist noted shamefully. She had been very foolish with their money, and because of it they ended up in their current situation, she wasn't very proud of herself, to say the least.

"Yes thank you. Unfortunately, we don't have much to offer you in terms of repayment for your kindness so if it is up to your standards than my body will have to do."

Ichigo had to reach for the nearest napkin as he choked on his drink, casting an incredulous glance toward the blue-haired girl's partner who looked just as shocked as he did while trying to hide her cherry red face.

He had been teased before, Yoruichi was the definition of a seductress and loved to rial him up, so he was fairly used to such comments, but it was the way she'd said it with such seriousness, without a hint of colour on her face that would signal embarrassment that had caught him so off guard.

Even now as he cleaned up the spilled coffee, she was looking at him as though he was the crazy one!

He hoped this wouldn't offend her as she was honestly quite attractive, but, "it's fine, I don't need you to do something like that."

Well, thankfully she didn't look offended, more determined if anything, just as she was preparing to push her offer again the second of the two cut in, "while Xenovia's offer was a bit extreme, I feel like it would be wrong not to do something for you if we were able too, so if there's anything you'd like that's within our power than please say so."

Ichigo didn't respond right away, instead choosing to let the question linger in the air a little bit, and the longer the silence was dragged on, the tenser the pair became. Perhaps he _was_ a bit of a sadist, as he watched the two squirm under his heavy gaze he couldn't say it wasn't amusing.

"I'd like information," he finally breathed out, deciding that the silence had dragged on long enough.

Quickly the atmosphere shifted between the three. Irina and Xenovia knew what type of information he was referring too, and while they didn't know what he was or who he was affiliated with, they at the very least knew he was aware of the supernatural and likely of them too. It wasn't a very comforting thought. He could very well be their enemy, and yet they knew nothing of him.

Putting on her usual cheerful expression, Irina attempted to deflect his request, "well we don't really know too much you see, so.." she could only trail off her sentence as she met the man's gaze once more, it was quite obvious that he wasn't buying what she was selling.

The orange haired teen hummed softly as he relaxed back into his seat, a more casual air settling in around him. "Look, I ain't gonna force you to talk if you don't want to, I didn't just do this because I wanted something from you, you guys just looked really sad out there begging for money when you could hardly stand." Ichigo couldn't help but smirk lightly at the girl's bashful countenance that appeared from his words.

"Are you an ally?" Xenovia asked finally.

Ichigo had to mull over the question for a moment. While he was almost certainly going to interfere at some point depending on how the situation unfolded, he felt that it wouldn't be wise to affiliate himself with any specific group this early in the game.

The Angels and Devils may have been unofficially working toward the same goal, but the animosity was still there between them. If he allied himself with one or the other, it may tip the scales of balance into an unwanted direction. And besides, he'd always been a lone wolf just doing whatever he thought was best, and it'd always worked out in the end.. eventually.

With that said, the answer was simple, "I'm not your ally, but neither am I your enemy." At his words, the pair turned to each other, a bewildered light in their eyes as their heads tilted slightly in confusion, Ichigo would admit it was a rather cute gesture. "I'm not in a position where I can act too aggressively, but I will step in if things go too far south, for now, just think of me as a neutral party that likes peace."

The two exorcists exchanged another glance and nodded. So he _was_ affiliated with _someone_ , but who that someone was couldn't be said. But even so, they felt like they could trust him. Perhaps it was the kindness that radiated from his eyes, or maybe it was just something more instinctual, but they felt like he was someone they could trust.

It was partly the way he spoke too, the confidence he exuded, like the fact that their opponent could be the fallen star of Heaven didn't even matter. He never said _we_ either, like he had allies here with him, it was always _I_ , like he, or whoever sent him here believed that he would be the only person necessary.

It was assuring to have someone as potentially powerful as him on their side if things went south, well as long as that confidence wasn't just misplaced arrogance.

"I just realized that we don't even know your name," Irina spoke with a hum of realization.

His eyes widened briefly at the statement, it had completely slipped his mind because he knew who they were from watching the fight, yet they didn't know him, shaking his head lightly he corrected the issue. "I'm Ichigo, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"It's nice to meet you Kurosaki-san," she nodded, a bright smile on her face. "I'm Irina Shidou, and this is Xenovia Quarta." It was obvious that she hadn't discerned anything from their saviour's name, her partner, on the other hand, hadn't.

Xenovia was an odd girl in that her memory was quite selective. She would often forget things that others would need as important and instead remember obscure things that likely wouldn't be of help unless in the most unique of situations.

Funnily enough, this _was_ one of those situations.

She twitched ever so slightly upon hearing the name, a memory of her childhood coming back to her. Unless doing her tutoring with Griselda, she was often alone, her emotionless face and monotone voice always gave her the appearance of being cold and arrogant, like she believed that she was better than everyone else, this had the unfortunate effect of turning all the other children against her.

So instead of being shunned by them, she would seclude herself in the library and study. One book she remembered vividly because of its contents was of a forgotten German race, the Quincy, a group of humans who could draw in the energies around them to form bows which fired arrows of energy.

It also spoke a little of their creator who was revered by the other Quincy as a God and some of the more prominent families, the Quincy royalty so to speak. And, one of the family names that was always spoken of in high regard was the 'Kurosaki.'

Now, the Quincy race was said to have vanished from existence around a thousand years ago, and so it was highly likely that they never existed in the first place, and even if they did, Kurosaki wasn't exactly a rare name. It was uncommon yes, but not completely rare; thus there was no way to know if the man before her was even slightly related _if_ the legend was actually true.

But she _had_ to at least consider the possibility because what else was there? He wasn't an Angel, Fallen Angel or Devil, his Japanese heritage all but excluded him from the other factions around the world, and the Shinto were so reclusive that it was even more unlikely they'd send one of their own down to help.

So what was left? A Sacred Gear possessor? She had been around quite a few in her life so far, and he felt nothing like them.

Yet he had power.

So she came back to the Quincy, perhaps they _did_ exist, and he was distantly related to them, could that mean he was related to the Norse Gods? She wasn't sure she liked the thought of that very much.

Irina – completely unaware of her partner's inner thoughts – continued on with the subject of Ichigo's request, "while we can't go into too much detail, a little bit should be okay."

"Even a little bit is helpful," Ichigo nodded gratefully.

This prompted a short joint explanation detailing their current mission assigned by the Church to retrieve some property that the Fallen had stolen in an attempt to bait the Angels into launching a full-scale attack. It really was the bare minimum of details, but that was fine with Ichigo, with the little that he already knew he was able to piece together a fairly good picture.

Essentially Kokabiel – who was working against Azazel's wishes – stole something from the Chruch to goad them into attacking, however, there wasn't really a reason to go through so much hassle just to slug it out with the Angels, as such, there was likely more to the story than the Church realized.

If Ichigo was correct than the Devils too would be somehow drawn into the fight which was likely Kokabiel's end goal, restarting the great war between the Angels, Fallen and Devils.

When the two girls across from him stiffened and started scanning the outside street from the corner of their eyes, he stretched his own senses out and found what had put them on edge. "Devils?" he breathed out. They were small blips, so much so that if the exorcists hadn't reacted to their present than he probably wouldn't have noticed at all.

But he hadn't been training ruthlessly for nothing, so with a bit more concentration, four faces popped into his mind. ' _Toujou, Yuuto, Hyoudou, and the fourth is part of Sona's peerage though I can't recall his name,_ ' their presence was honestly quite troubling. If they spotted him here with the two exorcists, it would lead to suspicions beings raised against him that he didn't have the time nor patience to deal with.

He wasn't worried they'd find out something he didn't want them to, but if the Devils started following him around – which was all too likely – then it could hinder his until now free movements.

"Why don't we call it here for the day, I don't know why the Devils are sneaking around here for, but it likely has something to do with you both." At his words, both of the girls nodded in agreement. They weren't aware that Ichigo was going to the same school as them and thus didn't question his sudden desire to part ways.

With one final thank you for the meal and goodbye the two groups split.

* * *

~ With Issei and co.

When Issei had finished explaining his plan, Saji could only stand there, mouth agape in silent horror as he imaged what Sona would do to him should he go through with it.

He loved his master and was glad that out of all the Devils he could work for he was with her, but she was not kind and forgiving like Rias, she was a serious and diligent girl who expected absolute obedience and perfection in every task given, and if she found out that he was doing something like this behind her back than the punishment would be severe.

"No no no no no! You're crazy! That's suicidal, and I'm not taking part! I'm going home!" Well, he _attempted_ to go home at the very least. Issei and Kiba could only look on curiously as a small hand extended out from the opposite side of the thin hedge and grasps Saji's shirt, holding him in place with a strength that should've been impossible for such a dainty arm.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Issei slung an arm around both Saji's and Kiba's shoulders and led them around to the other side to meet his mystery helper, though all were surprised when they noticed the schools unofficial mascot, Koneko Toujou sitting at one of the tables.

"Koneko-chan?!" Issei blurted out in surprise, ignoring the half glare sent his way at the use of the '-chan' honorific.

Seeing another member of the Gremory peerage only made Saji think they were all in cahoots and going to try and force him to participate with them, his fear of the punishment Sona would give him was growing by the second. "Let go! Why me?! Isn't this a problem for the Gremory house?! You may have a death wish but _I_ want to live past twenty!"

Issei merely brushed off his frantic pleas with a halfhearted laugh. "Aw c'mon, you're a Devil too, at times like this we should stick together and help each other out!"

Now, instead of trying to escape the Red Dragon Emperor's grasp, Saji looked like he wanted to strangle him. "Screw you! Rias may be both strict and gentle, but Sona is only strict! She's a dictator who wouldn't stand for anything like this! You don't understand the torture I would be put through!" Quickly he shifted his gaze toward the small girl in hopes she would be the voice of reason, though it seemed that his prayers weren't going to be answered.

"Even though there is such risk I will help too, for Kiba's sake.."

"Just hold on a second.." the man in question finally spoke up in a soft tone, his hands up in a manner that suggested pause. He was happy that his friends would be willing to go to such length to help him, he really was, but this was a battle he had to face alone, he couldn't bring them in on it too, he couldn't risk them getting hurt after he'd walked out on them all.

"This means a lot Issei, and you to Koneko, that you guys would want to help me in this situation makes my heart lighter than it's been in a long time, but I'm already in enough trouble as it is, I can't bring you guys in on it too, so just go back to the President and wait for me, okay?"

Issei's response was instant, surprising the Knight, "I refuse."

"Issei pl-"

"No!" He blurted out, cutting off his foolish friend. "Wait for you to return?! Don't be foolish! You're just asking to get yourself killed," Kiba flinched at the harsh words, it wasn't as though they held no inkling of truth. "You don't have to do this alone; this is what friends are for! We care about you and want to help!"

"And I appreciate it Issei, I do, but this is different, I-"

"It's not! Once more Issei cut him off, " just like you want to get revenge for your fallen comrade's, we want to help you because you are _our_ comrade, _our_ family! Denying us is like denying the very people you swore to avenge!"

Kiba recoiled, eyes wide as the words rang throughout his head, his fists were bawled as he berated himself, and when his shirt was tugged leading him to meet Koneko's teary gaze, the only thing he could do was lament his own foolishness, "you're right Issei, I'm sorry for pushing you guys away.."

Saji could only stare on curiously as he watched Issei brush off the apology, saying that he had nothing to apologize for as long as he realized his foolishness, the Gremory rook nodding in agreement as well. He didn't understand it, "Why? Why are you two trying so hard? Even at the risk of punishment, or worse, over-stepping your bounds and causing a far bigger problem than you can handle alone, why are you going so far as to help with his revenge? Just what is it that happened?"

Both Issei and Koneko could only look toward Kiba at the questions; it was not their story to tell. so unless Kiba felt like telling someone else of his past there wouldn't be much they could do to convince Saji of risking everything to help them. Thankfully Kiba nodded resolutely, understanding that in order to gain allies a hand of trust would need to be extended.

Saji had never felt such strong emotions in his life than he did in the few moments it took Kiba to explain his story, and after listening to the Knights tragic past he was unable to stop the tears which formed in his eyes. He finally understood why they would risk so much to help him on this path of vengeance, even when the stakes were so high.

' _Arg! Dammit! How the hell can I say no after hearing that?!_ ' Saji screamed internally, his logic and common sense at war with his heart and what he knew was the right thing to do. "Fine! You got me!" He yelled in the courtyard, uncaring of the attention being drawn to him, "let's do this and damn the consequences!"

All three of his accomplices smiled gratefully toward him, thankful that they would have another ally on their side, now it was time to decide on their first course of action. Well, as much as they talked things over, discussed all of their possible what if's and maybe's, it was a unanimous decision that first and foremost they would need to find the two exorcists.

"We obviously need to find them for two reasons. First and foremost because they are strong, as demonstrated last weekend, they outstrip both Issei and myself by a fair margin, having them work with us would increase all of our odds quite a lot. And secondly, even if they wished to work separately from us, perhaps they could still point us in the right direction."

This earned a collective nod from the Devil team, though there was one glaring issue. "Finding them is easier said than done.."

Koneko's words were a real blow to the confidence because for all they knew the two Church girls could've been long gone. Yes, they were here to retrieve the stolen Excalibur fragments, but that didn't mean they hadn't been switched with someone else.

The pair hadn't even been spotted by any of the Gremory group members thus far since their initial meeting a few days prior, and since it was unlikely that they would be lying low for their mission, that only further gave traction to the theory that they were no longer here, or at the very least, not here right now.

"Let's not give in too quickly, it's already pretty late so why don't we do a bit of group searching and then call it a night, tomorrow we can split up and assign sectors for everyone," the Red Dragon cut in, surprisingly being the voice of reason and taking the lead in this situation.

* * *

"Uh, I found them," the pawn of Sitri spoke out in a detached tone, too bothered by what he was seeing to let any emotion seep into his voice.

After preparing for what could've been an incredibly tedious – if not impossible – task of searching, it was almost laughable how easily they'd found the girls in the end. Not even thirty minutes into the search and here they were gazing into the glass window of a modest diner of which Saji's outstretched arm pointed toward, gazing at the two they'd originally set out looking for and a shocking third.

The four young Devils weren't veterans of war, nor were they experienced politicians, they had, however, been around enough high ranking Devils and important people due to who their masters were to know that judging by the facial expressions being used between the three, it wasn't simple friends out for dinner.

They all knew from the beginning that Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't a normal human. It wasn't even the above average energy that he possessed which made them think like that either. It was his presence that was so dominant and overwhelming that if felt as though they were in the presence of an ultimate class Devil. It was his gaze that spoke of a man far older than the seventeen years stated on his profile, a man who had seen far more than any of them would ever want too.

It was the lethargic and disinterested front he used to hide his elegant and graceful posture, the way every motion he took was precise and bore no wasted movements, the way his body was always tense and poised for quick action even when he was likely unaware of the fact.

He was someone who they all instinctively felt they should fear, and to see him now with the two exorcists and likely allied with the Church did nothing to lessen that fear, in fact, it only caused it to grow further.

When Issei finally spoke up thus breaking the silence the three Devils with him wholeheartedly agreed with his opinion, this could be far bigger than any secret plans they held of destroying the Excalibur fragments, and it couldn't remain unknown.

"We have to tell the President.."

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **Alright, so a couple of comments about the last chapter, I made a couple of changes to it. After finishing the DxD LN, I learned that the Devil family Kuroka and Shirone originally belonged to was called Naberius, so I changed that bit of information in my story.**

 **Secondly, some people were a little concerned with Ichigo's reaction to the documents he read. Some people said it was OOC that he reacted like that, and to those people, I say you're crazy. Ichigo has always been an overly emotional and reactive character, it would be OOC if he remained calm after reading what he did. I will, however, concede that he reacted too harshly, so I also made some changes to that scene and toned his reaction down a bit.**

 **As for this chapter itself, I don't really have much to say. I'm a little iffy with how I feel about it honestly, I don't think it's bad, but I feel like its lacking something, what that something is I can't figure out. I will say the teasing scenes work a hell of a lot better with Ikomikidmomoe than they did with Ryujin Jakka though, Iko's personality just suits it much better.**

 **And yes, Ichigo is learning Mujushin Kenjutsu :D**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	8. Chapter 8

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 8 -

~ Thursday Evening

" _You're being far too dramatic about this Ichigo,_ " Ikomikidomoe breathed out, eyes rolling when her wielder remained silent, choosing instead to continue brooding in his apartment. For all of the teen's usual composure and swagger, the once devourer couldn't believe how big of a baby her new master was being.

" _You're letting something which is based on speculation affect you far too much; we can't even be sure that the Devils spotted you with the exorcists. Judging by where they stood outside, it's more than likely that you were cut off from their view, leaving them with two exorcists talking to an unknown person or person's._ _A_ _nd even if they did, so what? What does it change?_ "

"A lot," Ichigo finally grumbled out, the sourness in his voice evident.

" _It changes nothing,_ " she pressed on firmly, drowning out any other thoughts Ichigo may have had.

" _What's the worst that could happen? Does the Hyoudou boy tell his master who in turns tells the Sitri heiress resulting in the both of them growing weary and coming to you for answers? Hah! A lot of good that would do. I sincerely hope that they're foolish enough to cross you; it would be amusing to watch those arrogant brats try and force something from you._ "

"Don't be crazy," he grumbled back, "if I tried whatever the hell you're thinking in retaliation, I'd end up with at least two pissed of Satans at my doorstep who – as much as it pisses me off to say – could very easily kill me in my current state."

" _Perhaps, but in return, Amaterasu would blanket the underworld in the wrath of the sun, it would be one of the greatest massacres in known history,_ ' she spoke in a low tone, a twisted excitement reverberating from her core at the mention of the brutal scene.

The pen in Ichigo's hand froze mid-stroke, mind drifting toward the spirit he now called partner, though before he could think on it further her mood abruptly shifted, so much so that it actually startled him

" _I wonder if you truly understand what it is you're asking for Ichigo,_ " she asked in a distant tone, as though her mind was somewhere else completely. " _This is the second time the idea of Amaterasu saving you has been brought up, and both times you've firmly protested against it. You may not have said it out loud, but do not forget that your thoughts are clear to me._ "

" _To not need protection from the Goddess of the Sun, someone who could be considered power wise to be in the top five strongest of this world excluding the three world-eater's... do you_ truly _understand what that means?_ "

No, when he really thought about it, he couldn't say that he did. And why should he? What experience did he have as an all-powerful being? He had none.

For all but two years of his life, he was a _powerless_ human, and for his time in the supernatural, he'd always just been powerful enough to defeat whatever enemy had appeared at the time, he had never been in a league of his own, someone who could look down on others.

Aizen was the only person in his life that fit the mould Ikomikidomoe's words put into his mind. He had always been stronger than others, more cunning and intelligent too, and of all the goals one could have, he wanted to be a literal God. He wanted to sit on the throne above everyone else, and yet when Ichigo finally clashed blades with him as an equal, all the teen felt in his Zanpakuto was loneliness.

Urahara never did respond to Ichigo's thoughts that day, his belief that Aizen wanted to become normal. And, for obvious reasons, he never got a chance to speak with Aizen again either, so it wasn't like he could ask the man itself what it was like at the top, though what would Aizen actually say if Ichigo were to ask?

Even if Ichigo's assumption was right, would he admit it? The teen highly doubted it. Well, not that it mattered in the end, the guy was locked up for twenty thousand years, and Ichigo would hopefully be long gone by the time he came back out.

He never did want to live forever.

With Aizen out of the question, who could he go to for answers, Amaterasu maybe? Mulling over the few options he possessed, things weren't looking good, and then, like a light going off in his head, it hit him.

' _Wait, what about Ikomikidomoe?_ ' She was a Hollow once labelled as a walking disaster with infinite evolution, and by her own word was someone who revelled in the silence. If he needed someone to shed light on the path he was walking, then perhaps he needed to look no further than his own soul.

" _Hmph, took you long enough to realize, I'm both the personification of beauty and a wealth of knowledge, I'm essentially a Goddess..._ " Ikomikidomoe paused briefly, a hum of thought escaping her, " _on second thought, Goddess' are too pure, I'm more of a Demoness,_ " she smirked, " _anyways, the point is, you needn't go far if you have questions._ "

Ichigo couldn't resist rolling his eyes, unsure if he should be more concerned with the fact that she referred to herself as a Demoness or the fact that it suited her perfectly.

"Well, what was your time as a Hollow like?" He asked finally, pushing the unnecessary thoughts to the back of his mind.

" _It was quite fun in the early years,_ " she answered with a touch of nostalgia, " _as well as other Hollow, I had the chance to fight many unique beasts such as Basilisks, Demons, Orcs, Chimera, Giants, and even the odd Wyvern or young Dragon with more pride than common sense._ "

"What?! But how? Isn't Hueco Mundo a world for Hollow's, how did other creatures find their way in?"

" _It is,_ " she agreed, " _but the world wasn't always as it is now, modern intelligent humans_ _–_ _homo sapiens_ _–_ _have only existed for a couple hundred thousand years at most, but were they the only ones who existed before then? Of course not. Gods and beasts alike have existed long before even the most primal of humans roamed the earth, and back then, the world wasn't so tightly bound._

 _It was much freer, and most creatures could move between dimensions without hindrance. You remember Amaterasu's words, don't you? She said that the world was once in a chaotic state._ "

Ichigo nodded, he did remember the Goddess' words, and if that was the case then he supposed it made sense that Ikomidomoe would have interactions with mythical creatures, ' _but wait..._ ' something wasn't adding up.

It was Ichigo's understanding that Hollow's were something unique to Japan and it's people. He had never heard of Hollow attacks anywhere else in the world, nor did Shinigami-like beings appear to defeat them, so how did they come to be? Now that he thought about it, it didn't make sense.

Amaterasu said ' _millennia ago when the spiritual world had still not completely taken its current shape and during the dawning era of Hollows_ ', but Ikomidomoe just confirmed that Hollows existed before homo sapiens which means Amaterasu either lied to him – for what reason he couldn't say – or she just grossly understated the time frame they were working with.

But with all that said, he was left with one question, "where did Hollows come from?"

" _In the early stages of evolution, most humans were used as subjects for experiments by evil deities, and usually those who dabbled in the dark arts of necromancy, the Greek Goddess Hecate was particularly thorough and cruel with her magical_ _curiocities_ _. It wasn't just humans mind you, there were some other high-level creatures used for experiments as well, but the vast amount and low intelligence of unevolved humans made them the perfect subjects. At some point, one of the more daring experiments which focused more on the soul of a being went terribly wrong, and the cursed existence of Hollows was born._ "

He nodded again, he understood what Ikomikidomoe had said, but it only rose more questions for him. "So why Japanese people? Was it just coincidence? I feel like if a Greek Goddess was one of the major players doing these experiments than shouldn't Hollows be a problem in Greece as well? And what about the Soul Chain? Was that a byproduct of this curse?"

" _That I don't know,_ " she admitted, " _most Gods did focus their experiments on the early humans around them, and yet now it seems to be a problem centralized around Japan, the reason behind that baffles me just as much as it does you. The Soul Chain seemed to appear around the time the Hollow population shifted to Japanese people as well though I know not their purpose,_ " at those words the once Hollow paused, humming thoughtfully.

" _It can't just be a coincidence though, perhaps Amaterasu could tell you the reason, though I'm not so sure she'd be willing to divulge such a secret even if she knew it._ "

He didn't think so either, but it was definitely worth trying.

"So when did things change? You said the world used to be much freer, but it isn't like that anymore."

" _As humans continued to evolve and begun worshipping Gods and Goddess', those deities started wanting to protect their followers, and thus barriers were erected protecting the masses from other supernatural beings, namely Hollows._

 _However, leaving the Hollows to roam earth wasn't ideal either, but instead of finding a way to purify the curse and save those transformed, they created a dimension and banished the cursed souls there._ "

"Out of sight, out of mind, huh?" Ichigo mumbled out, a sour expression taking over his features. He was already furious at the Gods who did such experiments, but to learn that no one even attempted to help the people that had been dished such a cruel fate... it sickened him.

"I'm assuming that Amaterasu and her brothers took over that dimension at some point? Likely when the Japanese fell under the curse," he spoke, looking for confirmation from his spirit which he received in the form of a nod sent visually through their connection.

After a couple of moments of silence passed, a new question started eating away at him. "So, how do you know all of this?"

" _I... do not know,_ " was her surprising reply, though Ichigo couldn't bring himself to doubt her.

He didn't get the sense that she was trying to deflect, the feelings of uncertainty and despair that arose from her when the subject was brought up were just too real.

He could feel a sense of detachment from reality, as though she was lost in space, unaware of who she was or what she was meant to be doing. Ichigo had experienced that sense of emptiness to a degree when he'd lost his powers, just floating apathetically through life with no purpose, but she had lost a lot more than just her powers.

The scope of her loss was something that terrified Ichigo just to think about, but could names really hold so much power?

Urahara had once told him that memories are connected, and you could even go so far as to say that they form bonds with people. So, if one person's memories were harvested completely, then at the same time, all of the events related to that person would disappear from the memories of the people around them.

Could it possibly work the same with names? Is that why such emphasis was placed on them? While a person's name doesn't form the basis of their personality, it is a major component of their identity. Usually, when someone asks the question ' _who are you?_ ', the common reply is a name.

Our name is also what distinguishes ourselves from others. An example being when we read history, we learn the names of people to form a distinction of that person from others.

Names are important in the identification process; however, they do not influence one's life and personality. A name does not have much of an effect, if any, on how people are perceived by others, and neither does a name influence their aptitude, skills, or abilities.

But our names are like a signature for the things we've done or accomplished, proof that we were there. If you forget that signature, or it is stricken from history altogether, then how would you remember the things associated with that signature? Or would they have ever happened in the first place?

It was a significant concept to think of, and if true, made the reality of Oshō's powers all the more frightening.

"Y'know, this was supposed to be a conversation about the life I was walking toward, and instead, I had some pretty major bombs dropped on me," he spoke softly, a mirthless grin doing well to describe the feelings swirling within him. He couldn't help the morbid curiosity bubbling in his heart at the thought of what other dark secrets regarding the founding of the supernatural world may lurk out there.

Ikomikidomoe – seemingly over the depressing emotions already – just sent a mental image of her shrugging nonchalantly, " _the short answer is that it's lonely. Amaterasu has the power to shape worlds, and because of that, she must seclude herself in Takamagahara, unable to interact with the masses because of the detrimental effects her presence would have on them, and you want to reach a state where you don't need her protection?_ "

' _Ah, so that's what she meant..._ ' he realized. Ichigo already had a taste of terrain altering power in his fight against Aizen when every one of his swings would destroy hills and smaller mountains, and he had seen firsthand the destructive effects his own unrestrained power had on the surroundings, burning away the atmosphere and warping the dimensional walls surrounding him.

And yet what was he to Gods like Amaterasu, Shiva and Hades? What was he to the powerful dragons like Crom Cruach or Aži Dahāka? All of whom could alter whole continents with their might, not just small mountains and hills. What would his life be like if he ever reached that level?

It was something that he needed to seriously consider. Ikomikidomoe revelled in the silence, but could he?

* * *

~ Friday Morning, ORC Clubroom

"Kiba?! Why are you here? I thought..." Rias trailed off, watching dumbfoundedly as her sole Knight strode into the clubroom followed by an oddly serious looking Issei, she was at a loss for words. He had made it very clear the last time they the last time they'd spoken that revenge on the holy sword Excalibur was his only goal no matter the cost, so why was he back here already?

The possessor of Sword Birth could only direct an apologetic look toward his master before bowing at the hip. "I'm sorry President," he began slowly, slowly rising again to meet her gaze, smiling softly as their eyes met. "I was overcome by emotions, and I regret the way I handled that situation. Issei and Koneko called me out recently, and we had a lengthy discussion, thanks to them I've begun to see reason in all of this confusion."

The Gremory Heiress' eyes lit up with the hope that he would be abandoning his suicidal quest for vengeance, though the longer she stared into his steely gaze she realized that wasn't the case. With this realization, her expression quickly fell.

"I haven't given up- can't give up... but, I've realized that there are better ways to accomplish my goals than abandoning my friends, my comrades, my _family._ " The passion in his voice was palpable, though before he could speak further, he was enveloped in a hug by the girl who had saved him all those years ago.

Just hearing that was good enough for Rias, she still wasn't completely okay with him wanting revenge even if she could understand why he wanted it, but this was enough for now. She was just so happy that he was back here with everyone. When two hands rested on her shoulders and applied a small amount of force, she relented her hold on the swordsman only to be met with a serious gaze that her pawn matched behind him.

"What's wrong Kiba? Issei?" She asked softly, making eye contact with both of them. All sorts of horrible ideas began playing out in her head as they remained silent, but nothing could prepare her for the headache-inducing news she was about to receive.

Knitting his brows further together, Kiba finally began to speak, "After my discussion with Issei and Koneko yesterday, due to the time, we decided to have dinner out together before calling it a night and heading home, however, it was during our walk to a restaurant that we made an alarming discovery, something that could mean much larger things are moving behind the scenes that we could imagine."

"What did you see?" She pressed further; tone sharp as her brows tilted downward.

The new transfer student – Ichigo Kurosaki – was with those two exorcists," he answered in a sour tone, thinking about the pair meant remembering his humiliating defeat suffered at the hands of the blue-hair girl. But now wasn't the time to dwell, so pushing those frustrating memories away he continued, "we were too far away to make out their conversation, and we didn't want to alert them of our presence by getting closer; however, one thing I can say for sure is that it wasn't simply a gathering of old friends."

Rias' eyes met that of Issei's and a simple nod of his head confirmed with her what Kiba had said. It wasn't that she didn't trust her sole Knight, she just couldn't afford to have any _what if'_ _s_ in this situation. With that in mind, she turned finally to the smallest member of her peerage that was – for once – not munching on snacks and was instead sitting quietly beside Asia.

The girls perceptive and sensory abilities were far above any other in her peerage including herself, so if she wanted to know something about a person like what race they were, if they were being their true self in her presence, things like that she would immediately go to Koneko, and this time was no exception.

"What's your take on it Koneko?"

"They were very docile... when they were fighting Issei-senpai and Kiba-senpai they were confident they would win, and it showed, but with Kurosaki-senpai it was different, it was like they felt what we have..."

The Gremory Heiress eyes shut slowly as a sigh escaped her; Sona, herself, and both their respective peerages had spent ample time around the new transfer, and each of them knew very clearly what _that feeling_ was.

He felt almost like a regular human, giving off just enough energy to tell them he had the potential for growth, but not enough for them to think he could be anyone special even with training. Yet even knowing that they couldn't help but feel on edge in his presence, it was as though an ocean floated above their heads that could and would crush them at any second.

The two exorcists weren't weak by any means, they easily dealt with Issei and Kiba, and Rias knew that if the two got serious, it would take both her and Sona just to draw even with them. If those two really felt the same thing around him that they did, and it was enough to make even them docile, then it meant that they doubted their ability to beat him in a fight, and if they couldn't defeat him then neither could Sona or herself.

Clearly, the Gremory Heiress' Queen had pieced everything together just as she had and something was bothering her about it all, so with a troubled look on her face she stepped forward from her position by her King's side and spoke up. "Kurosaki-san can't be with the angels," she began bluntly, "no matter how you feel about him personally, we can all agree that he hasn't once made us feel threatened, quite the opposite actually, and even Koneko says that she feels no malice from him, so I can't see them being fearful of him due to his personality. But if it isn't that, then all that's left is his power, but even that doesn't make sense because if he _was_ their ally, then no matter how strong he was there wouldn't be a need to fear him, in fact, the stronger he was, the better it would be for them."

Everyone in the room agreed with her deduction, it didn't make sense.

"But he was definitely meeting with them about something supernatural related... perhaps their goals align?"

No one disagreed with Issei's words, it was most likely that they were working toward a common goal, but what that goal was they couldn't say, it was all too confusing.

"He definitely isn't a Devil, and we're pretty sure he isn't an Angel which only leaves the Fallen, but the exorcists want to retrieve the Excalibur fragments, and that's something the Fallen Angels would never go along with which rules out the possibility that he's with them too."

A few seconds of silence passed before Rias groaned in frustration, there were just too many unknowns.

* * *

~ Friday Afternoon, outskirts of Kuoh

Ambling down the crowded sidewalk, he couldn't help the bored yawn that escaped him. It had been another dull day at school, the lessons were laughably easy, and no one dared approach him, which had its pros and cons. He didn't particularly care for being stared at like a piece of candy, so for that reason, he was glad the girls kept their distance, and the boys... well they just pissed him off, so it was good that they kept their distance too.

But Ichigo could get lonely just like anyone else, and although he appreciated the constant presence in his soul, he sorely missed the interactions with his friends at Karakura high.

Well, he wasn't completely friendless, it was – ironically – the presence of two Devils at Kuoh Academy that was keeping him sane, the student council president and her right hand were both fun to talk to and had intelligence to spare, conversations with the two added much-needed sustenance to his currently mundane school grind.

Though in fairness, he never had a problem with the majority of Devils at this school, just one in particular who thankfully hadn't made many attempts to speak with him yet, only sometimes jumping in on the conversation he would have with Sona and Tsubaki.

On the occasion that she would jump in, he tried to be cordial, but it was difficult. Even if he put aside the information he knew of her and her older brother, the girl's personality just rubbed him the wrong way, it just felt like a mask of forced cheerfulness, and if she really wanted to get into his good books, that wasn't the way to do it.

He'd always been a straight forward guy, saying whatever he really thought without beating around the bush and he respected others who could do the same – Urahara being one notable exception – so for her to dance around him with that sham of a personality, it got on his nerves.

With an annoyed huff, he tossed a cautionary glance down both ends of the road, the final barrier between him and the forested area outside of town which acted as his training grounds in this part of the world.

Stepping past familiar trees to his favourite open space, he was quick to notice something odd about the area. ' _A barrier?_ ' He questioned mentally, clamping down on his reiatsu and lifting a hand to gauge the invisible wall. ' _It isn't very strong; I could probably shatter it with a small burst of reiatsu, the only question is what's it doing here..._ '

Sharpening the reiatsu in his fingers, he found a 'seam' in the barriers structure and slipped inside. Making sure to keep his own presence masked he stretched his senses out, though he couldn't stop his brows from lifting in surprise at the familiar signature he sensed.

' _Koneko?_ ' He affirmed, shifting silently through the trees until his eyes laid on a diminutive figure doing martial exercises in his favourite spot.

Silently he watched as the minutes passed by, his own frustration growing as the clocked ticked quietly in his mind, it was all wrong, there was nothing in her movements but fear.

Ichigo could understand her feelings; he had to face that same emotion many times along his journey thus far, most notably when he first took up the sword with Rukia's execution pending, and when Zangetsu – disguised as a bloodthirsty and monstrous Hollow – starting visiting him in his nightmares.

 _There is nothing, but fear reflected in your sword. When you dodge, you're afraid of getting killed. When you attack, you're afraid of killing someone. Even when you try to protect someone, you're afraid of letting them die. Yes, your sword speaks to me only of absurd fear. What's necessary for a fight isn't fear. Nothing can be born of that. When you dodge, 'I won't let them cut me.' If you protect someone, 'I won't let them die.' If you attack, 'I will kill them.' 'Well, can't you see the resolve to kill you in my sword?'_

Yes, those were the words Urahara had spoken to him the night his training began, and how true they were. Even now, after all this time, he found himself reminiscing on them once in a while, they helped him keep pushing onward.

And now this girl was going through the same thing he did. She was stuck at the same wall that held him back when the fear of his Hollow loomed. He'd hoped that if he kept training, kept focusing on his Shinigami powers – on old man Zangetsu – that the problem would just go away on its own, but how could that be the case? A person's soul is hardly so simple.

Deciding that he'd watched her pointless exorcises long enough, he removed himself from the shadows and leaned casually against one of the trees. "Y'know, mindlessly pushing your body like that isn't going to make the problem go away," he finally called out, causing the girl to jump in shock.

She stood there stunned for a moment, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. It seemed as though her brain wasn't keeping up with the scene playing out before her.

Ichigo just continued to watch calmly, not moving an inch from his spot leaned up against a tree. He noticed the girls hazel eyes dull briefly as her own energy stretched out, though an obvious confusion was present on her face when she realized that the barrier was indeed still in place.

And then her attention shifted back to him, a weariness in her eyes that didn't suit her. Her posture would seem relaxed to any normal passerby, though Ichigo could easily see the way her muscles tensed in preparation to attack should the need arise.

"Why are you here? How did you pass the barrier?"

Why? The same reason you are," he answered simply, he figured a blunt answer would be best in this situation. "Though imagine my surprise when I come to my favourite spot only to find a barrier erected, as for how I got in without you knowing?" He shrugged, "it isn't too hard, it depends on the person's skill, but a barrier of this level is easy to bypass, you just need to open one of the seams."

"One of the seams..?" She repeated slowly, unsure of what he was talking about.

Ichigo was surprised as well though for a different reason, ' _they're using barriers but don't know about seams?_ ' It didn't add up in his mind.

"Of course," he finally answered, "barriers aren't just walls of magic, they're made up of intricately connected 'tiles' of condensed energy, the more skilful you are at casting them, the smaller and more numerous the tiles will be, and thus it will be harder to find the seam between the tiles. It's the same with dimensional walls, where do you think the idea for barriers came from? Just find the seam, apply some focused energy and widen the gap."

The Nekomata was baffled, she had been taught about barriers before, but no one had ever mentioned something like this. They as Devils used magic circles to bypass barriers – only if the person was skilled enough at controlling magic, of course – and the same applied to dimensional travel, but this transfer student, it almost sounded as if... "you can open holes in the dimensional walls?" She asked wide-eyed, she still couldn't fathom it.

She watched motionlessly as he nodded, his hand lifting up to the empty space between them. She squinted slightly as his fingers pinched _something_ which she couldn't quite see, and then, as though he was snapping his fingers flicked apart and it opened, a gaping black maw leading to an infinite plain of iridescent colours.

"It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it," he spoke nonchalantly, clearly unaware of the significance of his actions, "though I wouldn't recommend traversing the Dimensional Gap unless you know what you're doing, one misstep and you'll be lost forever."

It was obvious that he spoke from experience with the way his mouth twisted distastefully at the thought, though she couldn't seem to focus on that at the moment. Koneko only knew of two ways to enter the dimensional gap, the first was with the aid of a Dragon, the only being in existence who could tear holes in space, and there were rumours that the Holy King Sword Caliburn could do something similar, but they were just rumours.

And even if it was true, so what? It was a known fact that anyone less than a God would instantly die after being exposed to the potent energies of the Dimensional Gap, so who was this transfer student that could not only open up a portal to the Dimensional Gap, but safely traverse it as well?

She was pulled back to reality when the black maw snapped shut again with a horrifying screech; the sound was awfully fitting considering what lay on the other side of its jaws.

"So," Ichigo called out again, grabbing Koneko's attention, "what are you trying to accomplish here? You have to know your efforts are futile," he asked bluntly, earning a sour look from the girl, though his harsh words couldn't be refuted.

When she made no move to speak, Ichigo took at as a sign to continue, "there's a great power locked away inside of you, what that power is, I don't know" – well, actually he _did_ know, but he figured it would be best to leave that part out – "but if you truly want to get stronger then you'll have to let it out, and the only thing stopping you from doing so is a wall of worthless fear."

"Worthless fear..?" She repeated lowly, eyes darkening, "and how would you know?!" She finally snapped back, what could this transfer student possibly know about it?! "You don't share these malicious abilities that drove my sister drunk on power, that caused her to slaughter our master, the man who took us in and gave us a home! How could you possibly know?!" She yelled, sadness in her hazel eyes and a frustration knitting her brows, though the anger directed at her new Senpai was just ire from her own insecurities bubbling within.

It only took her a moment to realize what she'd just let slip, and feelings of regret quickly quelled her anger, though she wasn't given much time to dwell on it for the world had shifted before she even realized, and a once lush green forest and clear blue sky was now a dull grey, a supernatural darkness sucking the life out of everything around her.

Faster than she could blink the transfer student appeared before her, glaring down into her eyes with hauntingly golden iris' and tendrils of black. When his mouth opened again, the words weren't carried on his usual confident tone, it was a demonic whisper, a sort of dual-toned voice that warned her soul of the ever calling abyss that loomed just beyond her mortal vision.

"Trust me, I know all too well about the demons in your soul that you'd rather keep locked away, clawing at your sanity just begging to be let out, and I know what happens when you aren't strong enough to hold them back, the damage you can cause to those you swore to protect..." he trailed off, letting silence reign once more between them. He hadn't meant too, but images of his battle on the roof of Las Noches fluttered into his mind, the picture of his Tensa Zangetsu run through Ishida would forever be burned into his mind.

Koneko couldn't help the shiver that raced through her body as he spoke, it felt as though he was gazing into her very soul, but then he blinked, as though nothing had ever happened in the first place the world returned to normal, though she would never forget this experience.

Lifting his right hand, he lightly chopped the girl on her head as though he were admonishing a naughty child, he couldn't hold back the smirk as she glared half-heartedly up at him, her own hand coming up to rub the spot which he had hit.

"Anyways, as much as you want to keep that power locked away, trust me when I say that it will only lead to more problems in the future. The only way to truly deal with your inner demons is to face them head on and crush them, if you try and ignore them then they'll just grow stronger in the silence and crush you instead."

Koneko couldn't bring herself to doubt his words, the wisdom and experience they held were unquestionable.

"I'll help you if you want," he suddenly said, surprising the Nekomata, though truthfully he surprised himself as well, "my inner battle was a lot easier because I had experienced people looking out for me on the outside, so if you want I'll help you too..." he trailed off, feeling a little sheepish. While it was true that he wanted to help the girl, he hadn't planned on being so blunt about it.

"Why would you be willing to do so much for me?" She asked, glancing dubiously up toward her Senpai.

Ichigo smirked, this was an easy question, "it's because you reminded me of my little sisters, I can see a little of both of them in you."

Again she couldn't bring herself to doubt his words, they were far too genuine, the warmth in his eyes as he spoke of the two filled her from head to toe and reminded her of the days when her older sister would look at her the same way, the feelings he was showing her were real.

All she could do was nod softly in acceptance of his offer.

"Okay, so if I'm going to help you, I'm going to need to know a little of what's going on," he began, sitting down cross-legged across from Koneko, an action she mimicked. "You don't need to tell me all your secrets," he tacked on seeing the hesitant look in her eyes, "I only need to know what this hidden power is, and what I should expect from you trying to use it."

Although calm outwardly, inwardly Ichigo was torn between feelings of guilt and indecisiveness. Guilt because even though he told her that she didn't need to tell him all of her secrets, he already knew a vast portion of them due to the data received from Amaterasu.

And he was feeling indecisive because of the subject of her 'hidden power.'

Nekomata could hide their tails and ears in an attempt to appear more human and blend in with society, however, when they did this, their abilities were dulled to an extent, and when they released their ears and tails once more, their abilities would return to their actual level. It wasn't the crazy transformation which Koneko seemed to think it was, it was just her 'true form' so to speak, there was nothing dark or scary about it.

In truth, Ichigo wasn't even sure where the Devil's came up with whole the 'drunk on power' excuse because from what he could tell, Nekomata didn't have any abilities that caused them to potentially rampage.

So here's the dilemma. Does he keep playing along with the charade even though he knows she has nothing to fear or does he come clean with her about her sister and tell her that her 'hidden power' is actually harmless?

It was hard to say. He didn't want to keep lying to her about her powers, but he knew the timing wasn't right to come clean about her current master and the false Lucifer either.

As much as he thought about it, the only choice was to keep up the charade.

"I'm a Nekomata," she finally spoke out, pulling Ichigo from his thought, "but I'm sorry, I don't really know much about my power, after hearing about what happened with Onee-sama I just locked it away and refused to talk about it..."

Ichigo nodded, smiling softly at the girl, "it's okay, no need to apologize, I understand," she really did remind him of Yuzu and Karin.

Ichigo let his head fall forward slightly in a contemplative manner, partly because he wanted to give the impression he really didn't know what was going on, but also because he wasn't quite sure the best way to handle things, though the more he thought about it, there really only seemed like one answer.

"I'll be honest, I'm not too sure how to handle this, I'm by no means an expert, but if I learned anything when dealing with my own demons is that trying to baby it won't accomplish anything, you just have to go for it, so... maybe just try and bring your power out and we'll go from there?"

Koneko nodded in affirmation of his idea, though he could see she was hesitating, he could tell that she trusted his words, but she was scared of failing and hurting someone, there was only one thing he could do.

As though dealing with his own sisters he shifted so that he was resting on one knee and placed a hand on each of her shoulders, it was meant to give the impression that he was bigger than the world when they looked up to him, that there was nothing he couldn't beat. When Yuzu and Karin were younger, and they got scared he would do the same thing, and they always said it helped them, like he was their shield against the darkness.

Koneko wasn't a little girl like his sisters were, of course, but deep down, Ichigo got the feeling that she wished for something like this anyways. Ichigo lost his mother when he was young, and to this day he missed the warmth of her love, but Koneko lost her whole family at an even younger age, he couldn't imagine the loneliness that she felt.

Amaterasu could never replace his mother, but the warmth she gave him did help with the loss, and while he didn't want to replace Koneko's family, if he could help her even a little bit then that was good enough for him.

So, with those thoughts in mind, he gave her a simple assurance with all the same warmth and care that he would give his sisters, "I swear I won't let anything bad happen to you." If only he realized how close their thoughts actually were.

She had to wonder how weird he'd think she was if she let the tears out that were threatening to spill. She was young when her mother died, so she didn't remember her all that well, and her father was never around, so he was like a stranger to her, and her sister... well, she hadn't seen her in a long time.

And although Rias had been great to her so far, treated her like family, it just wasn't the same, that all-encompassing warmth that a families love gave just wasn't there.

And yet here her new Senpai was, a boy she hadn't even known for a month, giving her that feeling she'd sorely missed. The protective aura that surrounded her at his gentle touch, the tenderness in his eyes as he comforted her, the absolute assurance that nothing bad would happen as long as he was here... was it wrong for her to say she envied his two little sisters?

Glancing back up she was a little disappointed to see his comforting gaze no longer on her, well that wasn't exactly right, his eyes had just shifted to the top of her head. Turning her own concentration upward to see what had grabbed his attention, it was then that she made a shocking discovery.

Smiling brightly, there was only one thing Ichigo needed to say, "congratulations."

At the sound of his voice, a flush quickly rose to her cheeks, pressing her ears to the top of her head and staring intently at the ground was all she could do to keep from dying of embarrassment, only Rias had seen her ears and tail, and that was only briefly when they were first introduced, no one else, not even her fellow peerage members had seen them before today.

Ichigo having looked after his sisters for so many years could pretty much guess why she was reacting so shyly, and so he decided it would be best not to draw direct attention to her ears or tail – as cute as they were. "So how do you feel?"

Still refusing to remove her gaze from the ground she did a mental inspection of herself and surprisingly found nothing wrong, there wasn't even a hint of mental wear from using the power, it was odd. "I feel normal," she finally answered.

Ichigo nodded knowingly, "see, I told you it would be fine," he said, falling back down into a seated position. "Fear is a scary thing, it can make a hill look like a mountain, and it will destroy you if you let it. Often times, the fear of facing your fear is more frightening than the fear itself."

"So my own fear blew the danger of this power far out of proportions, is what you're saying? No... but Nee-sama went mad off of it, so I think I was right to fear it."

He nodded again in agreement, he really hated the fact that he had to lie to her, the fact that she had to separate from her sister because of Devil greed lit a fury in his heart, but it wasn't time to reveal everything yet, he wasn't strong enough to face the backlash, so for now he'd just have to grit his teeth and bear it.

"Yeah, but you're not your sister, some people are more natural at things than others," he reasoned earning a small nod, and then with his next words he planted a seed in her mind, the seed of doubt that would slowly grow, slowly bring her to question the situation. He didn't like putting so much pressure on her, but it would make things a lot easier if she realized something fishy was going on rather than him letting the cat out of the bag.

"And circumstances always play a part in things," he continued, "you were able to awaken the power in this peaceful forest with someone watching over you, it might not have been such a favourable situation for your older sister, perhaps that played a part in things."

It made sense to the Nekomata; if one awoke their powers under peaceful conditions, it would stand to reason that things would go quite well considering a person's powers are usually quite affected by the wielders state of mind, but if that person was heavily stressed out or under some sort of pressure, perhaps it would lead to the power running wild.

Koneko couldn't really remember the night it all happened, she had already been in bed when Kuroka got up saying she had to speak with master about something... she had fallen asleep before her sister returned only to be woken up by explosions rocking the mansion where they lived. Due to fear, she'd just hidden under the covers until everything died down.

When the door to their room finally opened again it wasn't her sister who came to get her, it was an unknown man who she'd later learn was a part of Lucifer-sama's Peerage. It was only an hour or so later that she was brought before the man himself and told of what happened that night, that her sister had gone mad and killed her master along with the rest of his peerage and was now an SS class wanted stray Devil...

What had she spoken about with their master that night? Koneko had never even thought about it... could something have happened?

Shaking her head heavily, she pushed those dangerous thoughts from her mind.

"So what kind of powers do Nekomata's have? I'll admit I don't know much about them," Ichigo asked, changing the direction of the conversation. He could see the gears turning in her mind when he'd said that last little bit, the harsh shake of her head meant that something had come to her mind, but it would be best for her to not think too strongly on it right now.

"We mostly use Youjutsu and Senjutsu," she began, "Youjutsu is a sort of Yokai spellcraft that is quite difficult to learn, and if someone inexperienced tries to teach you there can be very negative consequences. Senjutsu is the power to control the life energy in all living things. You can strengthen your internal and external bodies with it or even cause the plants around you to wither or bloom. Due to it's ability to sense and manipulate ki, Senjutsu also has great tracking and healing capabilities, it even has the ability to restore someone's life span. As beneficial as it can be, it can also be used to disrupt another person's ki in a negative way thus leading to great spiritual damage or even death."

"...Senjutsu sounds scarily powerful," Ichigo breathed out, unable to keep the surprise off his face at the description of the technique, to be able to control the flow of life in all living things, to the extent of extending or shortening one's lifespan was a scary concept.

Koneko could only nod in agreement, it really was a frightening power, "it comes with a great risk though," she continued, "while it lets the user read and control spirit power, it also take in the malice and ill will that flows throughout the world, so if an amateur was to use it irresponsibly, then the malice could end up corrupting them."

Ichigo deadpanned, ' _so that's where the Devils got the whole mad on power excuse from,_ ' it was kind of surprising that Koneko never noticed anything suspicious about it, ' _but then again, why would she ever have reason to doubt the kind and compassionate Sirzechs Lucifer who pleaded with the other nobles to spare her life,_ ' it took everything the teen had to not roll his eyes at the thought, the girl across from him would probably think he was crazy.

"Do Yokai have any melee based abilities?" He asked, bringing his attention back to the conversation at hand. He knew from his 'lesson' with Amaterasu that there were martial art focused Yokai like Sun Wukong, and they could probably use Senjutsu to enhance their abilities, but he wondered if they had anything that acted like his Hollowfication which just boosted all of his natural abilities to extreme levels.

"Mm, Touki," she hummed in affirmation, "those who are trained in Senjutsu can create an aura of life force that surrounds their body, increasing speed, attack and defence by a large margin."

"So it's like Shunkō then..?" He murmured, though it was loud enough for the girl across from him to hear, especially with the two cat ears atop her head.

"What's Shunkō?"

"It's a technique one of my old teachers created where she pushes a large amount of her energy throughout her body thus enhancing all of her base abilities, though her Shunkō also has a lightening element to it, and her first pupil shares the same ability though it is wind-based instead of lightning."

This time it was Koneko's turn to look on shocked, "just who is this former teacher of yours?" It sounded very close to Touki with the exception of energy being used instead of life force, and it was unheard of to infuse an element with the Touki, the strain of such a technique would be immense.

"She's a Nekomata, but I only found that out recently, she doesn't have cat ears or a tail like you though, well at least in her human form," he tacked on absentmindedly.

"What do you mean her human form?" She asked, feeling a headache coming on, she could tell that her new Senpai had no clue of the severity of the things he said, to him it was all normal, just where the hell did he come from and what was he?

Nekomata we're on the verge of extinction and all of the living ones with the exception of her and her sister lived in safety under Magari-sama, so who was this supposed Nekomata that came from wherever he did?

"Well I guess I shouldn't say she doesn't have ears or a tail, I've just never seen them in her human form, but she can also take the appearance of a small black cat," he answered with a smirk as he reminisced, "I had already met her by the time I learned that Yokai existed so that really helped explain things, but you can imagine my surprise when I suddenly met a talking cat back then," he continued, huffing lightly with laughter at the memory.

When he heard no response from the girl across from him, he glanced back up but was taken aback by the look of absolute shock on her face, "...what is it?" He asked slowly, worried that's he'd said something he shouldn't have.

And then, as though someone hit the play button on a remote Koneko snapped back to reality and shook her head, "no, I just don't think you understand how amazing your former teacher really is," she answered, feeling awfully tired all of the sudden. Seeing that he wasn't quite understanding, she continued, "There is only one Nekomata that I know of who has a cat form, and she's the leader of the Nekomata in the east Yokai Faction, she has seven tails in her true form which signify her age and power, how many did your teacher have?"

Ichigo mimicked her shocked expression at the answer, "I only ever saw her with one tail, she looked like any normal house cat."

"It's possible that she was hiding most of her tails, though I don't know why she would, this explains why she was able to craft such an ability though, I've never heard of Touki users adding an element to it."

Ichigo hummed in acknowledgement of her words, he always felt that there was something more to Yoruichi-san, he just could never figure out what it was, perhaps she really was more powerful than she let on, but why would she hide it? He couldn't say.

"You said that she and your other friend use their own energy to form the Touki shell, are you sure it's not life force? Especially considering she is a Nekomata, it would make more sense that she used ki."

"No, it's definitely their energy, is that really such a big deal though?"

"It is," she affirmed, "there is only one non-Yokai who can use the ability, and they only unlocked it by chance while hellishly training their body and pushing their life force past the breaking point."

Okay, something wasn't adding up, "just to be clear, you're talking about something like this, right?" He began, raising his arm and pushing reiatsu into the limb until a soft golden glow rested atop his skin. ' _I'll take her bug-eyed expression as a yes..._ '

Letting his arm fall back down and the reiatsu dissipate he mulled over the situation, there was something he was missing. A couple moments of silence passed between the two, the girl could tell he was deeply thinking about something and thus kept quiet, and Ichigo for his part was about to give up, he just couldn't figure it out, but then it hit him, "I get it! It's because we're-" he paused, shifting a glance toward the Nekomata who was looking very interested all of the sudden, no doubt wishing he would continue that sentence.

Unfortunately for her though, it was not yet time to reveal his identity, ' _but I think I've figured out the connection, we Shinigami are souls, our reiryoku is our spiritual energy, it's our life force, so where other beings like Yokai have spiritual energy_ _–_ _their life force_ _–_ _and the regular energy that they use for spells, our life force and our regular energy is one and the same, so when we learn to control our reiatsu, we're learning to control our life-force as well, but obviously Shinigami aren't running around using Senjutsu, and only Yoruichi-san and_ _Suì-Fēng_ _can use_ _Shunkō_ _so there gotta be something more to it, but I've at least figured out the base connection._ '

"What are you, Senpai?" She figured it would be best to be blunt, she doubted he'd answer anyways, especially not if she tried to beat around the bush with it.

"Mm, let's not worry about that right now," he spoke softly, hoping the girl wouldn't pursue the subject, "I'm not your enemy if that helps."

"Who is your enemy?"

"That's a tough question," he hummed, "I fight for the innocent who cannot defend themselves, so my enemy could be anyone."

Koneko's lips twisted, her face looking as though it was stuck between two expressions but couldn't decide which one would be better suited. She wanted to be sour because he had so many secrets that he refused to give up, but how could she when he was such a good person? He was that mythical Knight in shining armour that fought for the people at his own expense, how could she think negatively about someone like that?

* * *

~ Human World, Unknown Location

"So do you think he knows what you've been up too?"

"Mm, it's hard to say, I've been careful to not let anything slip that I shouldn't, but it's Azazel we're talking about so I'd be more surprised if he didn't at least suspect something was going on."

"Well, it's not like it's suspicious for you to stay quiet, especially with that silent, Mr. Cool Guy act you've got going on," a female voice called out from her position in the room, the half-hearted glare sent back her way made it all the more difficult to suppress her giggles.

"Le Fay, you should be more respectful to your peers," the third male of the five-person groom chastised.

"Hahah! Don't be so stiff Arthur, you know she has a point."

"Be that as it may, I'm sure Vali is quite proud of his persona, we shouldn't tease him for it," the now named Arthur responded, a small smirk on his own face as Vali's glare now directed itself toward him.

After having a good laugh at their leader's expense, the original speaker brought the subject back on track, "so when are you going to reveal yourself? Surely the Vanishing Dragon has a grand scene planned for the moment of his betrayal."

"Betrayal is such a strong word; I'd prefer if you called it a search for strong opponents, as for the reveal? You know I've never been one for theatrics, but with that said, I've caught wind of a possible peace meeting coming up between the factions, an opportunity may present itself there."

"I find it odd that there would be peace talks right now considering all the trouble Kokabiel is stirring up," Arthur murmured speaking more to himself than anyone else.

"Azazel already has a plan to deal with it," Vali answered, excitement buzzing in his voice, "he's just waiting for Kokabiel to make his move so he can clear his name with the other faction leaders."

Le Fay having caught this, rolled her eyes at the battle maniac, "and I'm guessing you're the one who gets to fight him?"

"Of course, it should be exciting if Kokabiel has kept up with his training since the Great War ended, though I'd much rather fight one of the faction leaders."

"Hahah! Typical Vali, a Vice-Governors of the Fallen Angels isn't enough to satisfy you, most people would be happy having a shot at someone so highly regarded among the factions, but then again, you aren't a normal battle freak."

"You're one to talk Bikou; you can be just as bad as Vali sometimes-nya," the final member of the group finally cut in, she had been somewhat listening to the ongoing conversation, but her mind was mostly occupied with something else.

"Well well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," Bikou called back, voice haughty but in a joking manner.

"Bite me."

"So how was your visit to Kuoh?" Vali cut in, unwilling to let the two argue any further, once they started, they tended not to stop for a while, "how is my rival progressing?"

Kuroka couldn't help but roll her eyes at the question, "of course, that's the first thing you ask about-nya. He's improved, but considering how weak he was to start, it's not surprising that there was some growth."

"I see, and Balance Breaker?" Vali asked, though he only received a simple shake of the head from the Nekomata which caused his interest to fizzle out, "that's disappointing then."

"You should cut the guy some slack Vali, not everyone can get as lucky with their heritage as you did."

"I agree with Bikou; he was born to two human parents, was he not?"

"Excuses," the Vanishing Dragon cut in unsympathetically at Arthur's words. "He was born with one of the thirteen Longinus, and the Boosted Gear no less, he has immense power already in the grasp of his hands, he just doesn't have the resolve to use it."

"I heard he's a total pervert, I doubt gaining power and fighting you is anywhere on his priority list Vali," Le Fay giggled, earning another small glare.

"Well, before you get too depressed, I have some information that might interest you-nya."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

All eyes turned eagerly toward the mischievous cat, there were few things that Vali found interesting, and at the top of the list was powerful opponents. And, although none of the others loved battles as much as the White Dragon Emperor, they still found interest in strong people just as he did. "I saw a new guy there who's either really good at hiding his presence, or he just popped out of nowhere, if I hadn't been there at that moment I probably would've missed him altogether."

"Well? Don't keep us waiting, how strong is he?" Bikou prodded.

"I only got a brief feel of it, so I can't say exactly, but I'd say he's strong enough that if you made the mistake of underestimating him, you'd be dead before you could regret it-nya."

Vali's smile was nothing short of predatory; he lived for words like those. He fought for the sole purpose of gaining power, and he gained power only so he could keep fighting stronger opponents, so he could feel the rush of battle, the euphoria of knowing that you're fighting with your life on your line, that if you let up even a little that could be it, you could die.

"Interesting..." he spoke softly, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

When he'd heard what type of person his fated rival was, an average human born to average parents and a massive pervert who's sole interest in life was the female body and their breasts, he would admit he was disappointed.

He was a half-blood, partly a descendant of the original Lucifer on his father's side and partly a human from his mother, but thanks to that human aspect he was blessed with a Sacred Gear, one of the thirteen Longinus, the 'Divine Dividing.'

He was, as Azazel had so kindly put it, a freak of nature. But he was okay with that because it meant his growth potential was infinite, and he could keep fighting stronger opponents until either he reached the top and became the true White Dragon God Emperor or he died because he wasn't strong enough.

But it seemed he was not so fortunate after all. He was born in an era of peace, a world where God and the original Satan were already dead. A world where the Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils had been weakened to a point that they'd likely never go again lest they want to be completely eradicated. Vali's only hope left was the Red One, the host of the Boosted Gear, the Red Dragon Emperor and his rival, but even that hope was crushed, this generation's Welsh Dragon was pathetic.

Now though, with the emergence of this new person, there was a glimmer of hope once more.

"So how did you come across him anyways? You said it was perfect timing," Le Fay asked though she couldn't help but feel a slight regret at opening her mouth when Kuroka's expression fell into a heavy frown.

"He was with Shirone."

"Hahah! And he's still alive? Impressive."

Kuroka smiled wryly at the monkey, "I was suspicious, of course, but they seemed close, or at the very least, Shirone seemed to trust him, so I let it be-nya." Truthfully, the only reason she'd been so lenient was that the boy wasn't a Devil, she didn't know what he was if she was honest which didn't happen often, but at least he wasn't a Devil, there were already enough of them around her sister than she cared for.

She couldn't wait for the day when she could finally may them pay for what they'd done to her and her sister. The Nekomata promised herself long ago that she'd make them wish they remained hidden in the depths of Hell.

* * *

~ Kuoh Academy

As she approached the old school building that acted as home base for the ORC, she couldn't help but feel conflicted.

Her master would have no doubt felt the varying changes that occurred during her training session, the evil piece embedded in her chest connected them together almost like a monitoring system, and while it had never bothered her before, right now she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed with it.

And that was where her inner turmoil stemmed from. Why should it matter if her master felt what happened during her training session? Why shouldn't she tell the girl who looked after her since her sister killed their former master exactly what went on in that barrier and everything she now knew about the transfer student?

She was a Rook under the service of Rias Gremory. It was the only logical choice.

So why did the thought of it make her feel so guilty?

' _Because it feels like I'm betraying his trust..._ ' He went out of his way to help her when he had no obligation to do so, and only because she reminded him of his younger sisters, he had no ulterior motives, he just genuinely cared.

Instead of actually training afterword they just talked, it was like they were old friends with how naturally they got along, and again, when he had no obligation to do so, he told her things about himself, about his former teacher, he showed her a couple of the things he could do, he extended her a hand of trust.

And then, to top it all off, just before they were about to part, she asked him to train her, and what did he say? He said yes, immediately, there wasn't even a second of hesitation on his part.

She just couldn't believe how warm and genuine he was despite all his power, and she knew he had power. Of course, he hadn't actually said how strong he was, nor did he do anything which would give it away – though being able to open holes in the dimensional wall and survive in the dimensional gap was a pretty good indicator – but, she just knew that none of them could hold a candle to Ichigo Kurosaki.

So with all of his warmth and genuineness, with all of the help he'd already given her and the help yet to come with their training sessions, would she really slap away the hand of trust he extended to her?

With a tired sigh, she grasped the door handle and entered the club's main room. As anticipated, there were five sets of expectant eyes on her when she entered the room. The undivided attention of her fellow peerage members made the walk to her usual seat seem excruciatingly long, or perhaps it was just the annoyance from her sour mood that did it, but she just wished the day would end already.

"How are you feeling Koneko?" Rias called out after the girl had finished sitting down.

"Tired," she answered simply. It was times like these that she was glad people didn't expect her to talk a lot, she probably said more in that conversation with her new Senpai than she had all month and she was just about done for the day.

"I bet, you must've had a big breakthrough today, I felt your power jump quite highly!" The excitement in Rias' voice was palpable, she was truly happy for Koneko, even if not all of her reasons were exactly good.

Koneko couldn't help but sigh out again in her mind; this was the moment of truth for her. She had to tell Rias about her Nekomata form; there was no way to explain her jump in power without it, but telling her about that meant telling her about Senpai, as with the jump in power, there would be no way to explain why she'd finally gone back into that form after so long. Rias knew how scared she had been of it.

"Mm, I used _that_ , Kurosaki-senpai helped me out a lot with it."

The room went still.

"K-Kurosaki-san did..?" But you... what was he even doing there? I never felt anyone pass through the barrier?!"

Koneko couldn't blame them for being at a loss of words, they had just talked about him yesterday at Kiba's return, about how he was spotted with the exorcists, about how dangerous he may be, and now this happened.

"I didn't either, he just sort of appeared, apparently that was his favourite spot to train, I asked how he got in, but he wouldn't say..." ah there it was, her first lie to her master, what was she doing she wondered?

Rias, of course, looked disappointed to hear he wasn't a blabbermouth – even though he actually was – but Kiba was the voice of reason, "well I'd think he was crazy if he suddenly started explaining all of his abilities to us, at least we know he can bypass some barriers," everyone nodded at his words.

"So how did he help you overcome your fear?" Rias continued, she would admit she was a little hurt with how it all played out. She had been trying for years to help Koneko, and now this mysterious new student comes along and does what she couldn't in such a short time.

"He told me of his own personal experience fighting inner demons and how he beat them, listening to him just made me realize that maybe it wasn't so scary after all."

She nodded reluctantly, someone with personal experience would be able to help a lot better than someone without, and she supposed that in the end, all that mattered was that Koneko got over the fear of her own power, and because of it grew immensely.

"It's not that I don't appreciate him helping Koneko, I just find it odd that he's doing so much for her, do you suppose he knows her from somewhere?" Kiba cut in, a troubled look on his face.

"And he's working with the exorcists, he's dangerous!" Issei yelled from his place on the couch, "if you need help with anything than come to me Koneko-chan! Not the scary transfer!"

"...that will never happen."

"Gah... you're so cold to me Koneko-chan."

"Ufufu, well putting aside Issei-kun's rejection, for now, I agree with Kiba in that it's odd how supportive he's being of her, did he say anything regarding that to you Koneko?"

"He said that I reminded him of his sisters," she answered, though her frustration grew at the dubious looks her fellow peerage memory wore at the answer, "I trust him," she tacked on, a finality in her voice that left no room for debate.

Everyone knew what a great judge of character she was and thus tempered their suspicions. If she was going to defend him so adamantly then it had to be for a reason, they would just need to trust her.

"Well, if you're sure..." Rias spoke softly, still sounding unsure but unwilling to push the subject any further. "Is there anything else you learned about him?" She asked, pushing the conversation back on track, "anything you feel we should know?"

"I asked him to train me."

Again the room grew tense, "Koneko, I don't think that's smart-"

"I want to be stronger," she cut in, "if I'm wrong and he is our enemy, then that's all the more reason to get stronger right? If he really wanted me to stay weak, then he wouldn't have helped me, either that or he knows that no matter how much we grow, we will never be able to defeat him; but if he really is destined to be our enemy, then I want to at least go out knowing I gave everything I had, even if it means being trained by the one who will eventually defeat me."

No one spoke, what could they say? Her logic was flawless.

* * *

~ Outskirts of Kuoh, Later that evening

"It's all well and good that you've got a friend now, but don't you think agreeing to train the little kitten will draw too much attention to you?" Ikomikidomoe reasoned from her place against one of the nearby trees.

She had taken to partially manifesting during Ichigo's Kidō training sessions due to boredom, watching him sit there for hours on end meditating and holding casted spells was about as fun as watching paint dry, so she would do some exploring in the nearby areas while he worked. Unfortunately, she couldn't wander very far from his location without dematerializing and returning to their inner world, nor could she manifest without his permission, but considering that no one but Ichigo could see her, he wasn't too uptight about it.

A soft sound of shattering glass filled the clearing again, though just as every time before, the translucent shards would dissipate into particles before ever touching the ground. With a sigh, he brought up an arm to wipe the sweat which beaded his brow. He couldn't hold back the satisfied smile that spread across his lips, after many long hours of tedious work his Danku training was nearly complete, all he had left was to get some battle experience with the spell.

As boring as they were to learn, he understood that defensive spells needed to be the top of his priority. It was as Oshō said, his destructive potential has always been overwhelming, even after losing the Getsuga Tenshō, it had been replaced immediately by the Bala and varying levels of Cero, so that was a non-issue, but he had no defence.

Well, that wasn't exactly true, he had incredibly powerful Hierro thanks to the merging of his Shinigami and Hollow powers at birth, but it would be the height of foolishness to rely on that Hierro to be his total defence. So what if it could block the majority of an enemies attack? The more you got hit by those attacks, the higher the damage would stack until eventually you'd get overwhelmed.

Or what if you got overconfident and tried to tank a deceptively powerful spell leaving you heavily injured and unable to fight effectively afterword? That would be a pretty pathetic way to go out.

So as much as Ikomikidomoe wanted him to go all offence and just destroy everything, he would properly train in all aspects of combat and prepare himself appropriately.

"Hm, no response?" Ikomikidomoe taunted, "ignoring me won't remove the validity from my words," she continued, a smirk forming as she heard her young master curse under his breath.

Okay, he would admit that accepting her request right now did sort of hinder him, and it would cause Rias to watch him with a more critical eye since Koneko was with her, but he couldn't just say no...

"You didn't have to say no, just tell her you'll train her after the whole stolen Excalibur thing dies down."

"...I didn't think of that."

"Clearly," she smiled wryly, "you were too focused on a set of fluffy white ears and a matching tail."

Ichigo could nothing but hang his head in embarrassment; the truth in her words was indisputable.

"I couldn't help it; it was the first time I've ever seen a true Nekomata... well I suppose Yoruichi counts, but she never showed-" Ikomikidomoe wordlessly returned to their inner world when it hit them, that twisted and sickly reiatsu he'd been hunting ever since arriving here.

He didn't still in surprise or pause to think about it, as soon as he felt it brush against the edge of his senses he was gone, launching from the ground in an explosive burst of Shunpo. It had consistently slipped through his fingers until now, but it wouldn't happen again.

The teasing conversation from just a moment before was all but forgotten as he blurred across the town, his mind was set on one thing. Although nighttime was quickly falling and the streets were still bustling with activity, he had no concerns of being spotted, the distance he could travel with a single 'step' meant that he rarely had to touch down on solid ground before continuing again.

No, the only concern he had right now were the two Devil Heiress' sharing Kuoh who most definitely knew what was happening right now and would want to investigate it themselves.

As he touched down on the pavement outside the latest victims home, he made sure to clamp down on his reiatsu as not to alert the person inside of his arrival. Glancing briefly in the direction of the Academy, he was pleased to note that none of the Devils had left yet, so with hopes of getting in and out before they could arrive he immediately set out up the stairs and through the open door.

It was hard to resist the urge to cover his nose with his shirt once he crossed the threshold into the home, the stench of blood, death and decay assaulted his senses more strongly with every step he took. After venturing in about ten steps the living room was made clear to his eyes, and along with it, the latest victims mangled corpse.

He couldn't keep the bile from rising in his throat, "oh god-" he paused, gagging again, "for fuck sake-" he couldn't stand it, this was far worse than anything of the prior cases. It was so hard to resist closing his eyes as he fell back against the wall for support. He tried his best to settle his breathing as he wiped his clammy hands on the denim of his jeans, but it was a futile effort.

He had seen and experienced some tough things in his time among the supernatural, and upon coming here to Kuoh and investigating these murders, those boundaries were steadily pushed further. But despite that, he'd somehow managed to keep his emotions under control until now, but this- this was just sick, it took torture to a whole new level.

"I was hoping you'd be able to appreciate such fine art considering how persistently you've been trying to catch me, but in the end, it seems like you're too big a pussy to really understand its true beauty," a disturbed and honeyed tone called out from the shadowed corner of the room.

In response, Ichigo eyes that had been blurrily gazing at the stained floorboards snapped up toward the sound of the voice, the absolute fury and hatred burning in his golden iris' seemed to only amuse the man further.

Pushing off the wall he'd been using for support, he spun and faced the killer head-on, "you have five seconds to explain what the fuck this is," he began, waving an unsteady arm in the direction of the corpses, "before I rip the life out of you," he finished in a low growl, tendrils of black creeping into his eyes.

For just a moment, some of the insanity left the killers expression, and he found it hard to speak due to the lump sitting in his throat. Freed wasn't sure if the punk realized how much energy was rolling off of him, but for just an instant it felt like he was in the presence of an enraged Kokabiel.

His mindset quickly corrected itself, ' _bullshit, like this scum could be stronger than me,_ ' he hissed internally before bringing his attention back outward. "It's no big deal, I was just cleansing this earth of Devil loving filth~" he sang out, every bit of madness that had left his features coming back tenfold.

Ichigo's teeth locked themselves together in rage as he watched the killers tongue slither from his mouth and lick some of the blood off of his face.

Before the killer's next breath could be taken, his body was slammed through a wall, and a lightly tanned hand was locked around his throat. His own pale hands clawed at the vice around his neck, and his red eyes turned bloodshot as he struggled for air.

For the first time in his life, he felt true fear. This wasn't a human that was attacking him; it was a monster, and all he could see reflected in the golden iris' and black sclera was his own death.

* * *

A/N:

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Highschool DxD. All content belongs to their respective creators.**

 **Okay, so I expanded on the backstory of Hollow's and hinted at Ikomikidomoe's true identity, just who was she in her past life?**

 **The main change for this part of the story was the removal of the whole Kendo thing, even I will admit that it was the fanfiction equivalent of Anime filler xD I definitely wanted to keep the Ichigo and Koneko interaction though so I did something better this time around; I'd like to comment on some of their interaction though.**

 **I know that in canon Koneko is shown not to talk a lot, and in contrast, she spoke quite a bit in this chapter. I get the impression from her character that she's just bored with everything, and that what happened with her sister when she was younger is the main reason for that. However, I feel like if you gave her something to talk about, like her powers or her race, things she might care about, then she would open up and hold an interesting conversation as she did in this chapter.**

 **As for her snapping at Ichigo when he called her fear worthless? She's been living this whole time thinking there was some malevolent power in her that could cause her to snap and hurt/kill her new family at any time should she try and use it, so I think it's justified that she would be angry when someone tries to downplay her fear. Ichigo baited her because he knew nothing would change if she was left to dwell on things forever.**

 **As for the whole hollow eyes and grim world thing? Ichigo needs to extend a hand of trust if he wants her to do the same, she won't trust him to help her if she doesn't know he's dealt with something similar.**

 **As with the original story, Koneko reacts quite strongly to Ichigo, and some might say it's unrealistic, but I disagree. Koneko genuinely has it rough, and although Rias has been great to her, even in canon, there was no one who was really like a family to her.**

 **Rias and Akeno kind of acted like big sisters but they aren't really the greatest of role models, and Issei definitely isn't a brotherly figure. Even Kiba, as good as their relationship was, wasn't really a good role model until his feelings of hatred and need for vengeance against Excalibur were quelled.**

 **So when you have someone like Ichigo who is so genuine in his feelings, and the fact that he is such a great brother to Karin and Yuzu, I honestly think that Koneko would strongly react to him as an older brother figure.**

 **And last but not least, is Yoruichi more amazing than we originally thought?**

 **Okay, so onto some non-chapter related things, I recently re-watched the Overlord anime and read all of the light novels and damn, what a dark story it can be, but it's a great read. I also read the Evileye side-story and man, if Evileye wasn't already the best girl she has that spot firmly locked now.**

 **Now, of course, being a fanfiction writer the first thing I thought of when I finished reading it all was how cool a crossover would be between Overlord and Bleach (with Ichigo as the MC, of course) but after thinking about it further, I don't think he suits the world that Maruyama has created.**

 **The hardest things Ichigo had to face in the Bleach-verse are nothing compared to the dark shit that happens in the Overlord world, Demiurge's 'happy farms' are all the proof you need of that. Ichigo would not be able to handle it.**

 **There are a couple of other reasons why I don't think he suits the world as well, one of them being the idea of an 'Adventurer.' If I was to write an Overlord story, I'd want my MC to be an adventurer and do cool shit while also kicking Nazarick's ass, but Ichigo doesn't really fit one of the key aspects of an adventurer, the gear. Ichigo has Zangetsu, he needs no more weapons than that, and can you honestly see Ichigo in a suit of armour? Hell no. I tried looking at all the coolest suits of armour I know of from other media for inspiration, and it just doesn't work, I can only see Ichigo in his Shinigami clothing, but that doesn't really fit the theme of an adventurer.**

 **It's like, "oh look at all those Adamantite ranked adventurers in their suits of full plate armour, they look so cool!" (or light armour for thieves etc...) and then there's Ichigo in some basic clothing with no defensive bonuses... it just doesn't fit in for me. And I get it, "with Ichigo's natural defence and Hierro he doesn't need proper armour, no one could pierce his skin anyways," blah blah... but where's the fun in that?**

 **And that leads to my next issue with Ichigo in the Overlord universe. Power. I don't mean to sound like a Bleach-elitest, but Ichigo with his true Bankai and Horn of Salvation would destroy the combined might of Nazarick, it wouldn't even be fair, and obviously, that doesn't make for a good story. So do I nerf Ichigo? Do I buff Nazarick? Nazarick is already so far above anyone else in the new world that they don't need a buff and it would just be pointless power scaling.**

 **I thought about trying to re-shape Ichigo's powers using the Yggdrasil system and just letting him keep Zangetsu as a divine class weapon, but there is nothing in Overlord that matches Ichigo's powers, the closest match you can make is the demon/devil race, and that's only because Ichigo's Vasto form looks like the devil incarnate.**

 **So yeah, long story short, I talked myself out of a Bleach/Overlord crossover xD**

 **But – and this was where I wanted your guys' opinions – what would you say to a Dark Souls/Overlord crossover with Artorias and Sif going to the Overlord-verse? I've always through Artorias was one of- if not the most badass swordsmen ever. His name is awesome, his epithet 'the Abysswalker' is dope, he has one of the coolest armour designs ever, he wields a giant sword which automatically gives him extra cool points xD**

 **I would have to make one change right off the bat with him though, and that would be an edit to his height. Artorias is supposedly over ten feet tall, and he would not blend in with the overlord-verse at all.**

 **And can I just quickly talk about height for a second, the Overlord characters are deceptively short. I thought that Momonga would be at least 200cm/6'5" considering he's portrayed as a big skeleton, but according to Maruyama, the dude is under 6', like what? Artorias would be almost 2x as tall as him which while funny would be very immersion breaking.**

 **I've tried looking into Artorias' race, and from what I can gather he's either a giant, a Lord (Demi-God), or a mix of both, so I get that he would be different from most other people, as such, I was thinking of making Artorias like a flat 214cm/7' if I did the crossover, that way he'd be taller than everyone else but not twice their height.**

 **The main problem with Artorias – which is the complete opposite of Ichigo – is that I feel he might be a bit under powered compared to the Nazarick gang. I know his swordsmanship is unmatched, and his combat power/destructive potential is probably off the charts, but he can't use a lick of magic, and that's a serious disadvantage in the Overlord-verse, all Ainz would have to do is cast [Grasp Heart] or [True Death] and Artorias is screwed.**

 **I've thought of a couple counters to this, but I'm not too sure how believable they are. I also came across a certain type of magic in a Manhwa I was reading that would suit him perfectly if I decided to go through with it, so that would help balance things out, but I'm still undecided. I don't want to spoil it, but I'll say it isn't your usual elemental type magic. Other than the problems of balance, I'd have to think of what he'd look like under his armour because he couldn't just stay geared up all the time, people would grow suspicious if he never took his helm off. I'd also need to flesh out his personality a bit, we don't know much about Artorias, and what we do know wouldn't really fit in with the world so some changes would have to be made.**

 **But anyways, after all of that rambling, I'll leave you with a question. Artorias and Sif in the Overlord-verse, would that be a cool possible future story idea? Artorias vs Ainz, Sif vs Hamsuke, battle of the century.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive criticism is always welcome. Or, if you have any specific questions or would just like to chat with me then feel free to send me a message, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


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